Actions

Work Header

Rating:
Archive Warning:
Category:
Fandom:
Relationship:
Characters:
Additional Tags:
Language:
English
Series:
Part 11 of Titles From My Mutuals , Part 47 of Merthur Short Fics & One-Shots
Stats:
Published:
2021-04-24
Completed:
2021-10-16
Words:
3,809
Chapters:
2/2
Comments:
42
Kudos:
699
Bookmarks:
77
Hits:
5,258

The Secret Witness

Summary:

From behind the trees blue eyes watched in silent awe. He was…

Arthur held his breath, worried even the slightest, softest exhale would reveal his hiding spot to the mesmerizing nymph.
The Prince leaned forward a little more for a closer look as the nymph, who carefully tucked a few strands of hair behind a pointed ear.

Slowly, he laid down on the grass, apparently having finished his ritual, and Arthur found himself subconsciously leaning further and further forward until suddenly…

Arthur yelped as he fell forward, into the clearing.

The dark-haired nymph shot up, wide eyed as his gaze snapped to the Prince. Arthur let out an awkward chuckle, staring back at the Nymph.

“Aha… Hello.”

OR

Arthur stumbles across a nymph (Merlin) in the forest one evening, during a hunting trip after wandering off, doing some strange ritual.

He watched in secret, until suddenly falling through the trees and into sight.

Notes:

here you go ahahahah i hope you like itititititittttttttttt

Originally inspired by this post on my tumblr.

(See the end of the work for more notes.)

Chapter 1

Chapter Text

From behind the trees blue eyes watched in silent awe. He was…

Arthur held his breath, worried even the slightest, softest exhale would reveal his hiding spot to the mesmerizing nymph.

The prince leaned forward a little more for a closer look as the nymph, who carefully tucked a few strands of hair behind a pointed ear.

Slowly, he laid down on the grass, apparently having finished his ritual, and Arthur found himself subconsciously leaning further and further forward until suddenly…

Arthur yelped as he fell forward, into the clearing.

The dark-haired nymph shot up, wide eyed as his gaze snapped to the prince. Arthur let out an awkward chuckle, staring back at the nymph.

“Aha… Hello.”

The nymph let out a long sigh and walked over, kneeling in front of Arthur, a disapproving frown on his face.

“It’s rude to be a voyeur.”

Arthur huffed and pushed himself up into a sitting position, in front of the kneeling creature of magic. “I am not a voyeur, Merlin, and you know it,” he said, narrowing his eyes.

“Yes, yes, whatever you say,” Merlin hummed, adjusting to sit cross-legged in front of Arthur, “you were still the one spying through the trees.”

Arthur sniffed indignantly and looked away.

A moment of silence passed between them before finally Merlin broke it, leaning forward and placing a hand on Arthur’s cheek. Arthur instinctively leaned into the touch.

“We missed you…” He sighed.

“We?” Arthur asked, looking at the nymph. Merlin smiled nodding to the clearing they sat in.

“The clearing, the lands we sit in. They missed your energy…” He explained, rubbing Arthur’s cheek with his thumb lightly.

Arthur chuckled softly. “Anyone else could say that and it would sound crazy, but for some reason I’m inclined to believe you.”

Merlin grinned brightly at this and dropped his hand from his face, placing it on his knee instead.

“I’ve been practicing something for you,” he whispered, as if it were a secret. Before Arthur could think to ask what, Merlin leapt to his feet and hurried to the center of the clearing. Arthur stayed where he was at the edge, watching with an eyebrow raised.

“I missed you, too, if it matters,” he hummed, leaning back on his hands. Merlin laughed softly, and it was a sweet sound, like bells in the wind, that made Arthur’s heart flutter.

“It matters, I’m glad you’re here, but shhh, I want to show you this before the knights notice you’re gone,” the nymph explained, a mischievous look in his eyes.

Arthur let out a sigh and motioned for Merlin to go on, admittedly rather curious to see what he’d been practicing.

Merlin took a deep breath and closed his eyes, spreading out his arms, palms up, as he slowly turned his face skyward. Arthur tilted his head and leaned forward. The nymph breathed out a string of words that, though Arthur couldn’t understand them, send a wave of comfort and warmth through the prince. A soft green light began to glow around Merlin, before it slowly began to spread, encasing the clearing. A shiver ran down Arthur’s spine when the magic passed through him. Once the light made a small dome around the clearing, Merlin lowered his arms and looked at Arthur with a bright grin.

“It’s a protective barrier! No one can see us now! No one can even see the clearing!” He sounded so giddy about it, Arthur couldn’t help but grin in response, “we can see the barrier, but they can’t see or hear us! So, even if they came looking for you, they wouldn’t catch us! We don’t have to be scared of being caught together anymore! I… I created the spell for you. Do you like it?”

A surge of pride rushed through Arthur. He created a spell, one that seemed rather powerful, for Arthur. So, they could be together without fear. His chest warmed with affection, as he rose to his feet. Merlin watched him, still seeming nervous about if Arthur liked it or not.

“Merlin…” Arthur sighed, approaching him. He stopped right before him and wrapped his arms around the brunet’s neck loosely. “It’s incredible… This is incredible. I can’t imagine the work and time this must have taken you.”

Merlin blushed faintly, looking away as he snaked his arms around Arthur’s waist.

“Oh, it really wasn’t that much, it’s nothing,” he tried to play it off. Arthur scoffed and pulled him closer.

“That’s a lie and we both know it.”

Merlin just shrugged. So, Arthur slid his arms off his neck, and moved his hands to Merlin’s face, making the nymph face him.

“I am not as ignorant as when we first met,” he reminded him, holding eye contact, “I know what you’ve taught me, and what you’ve taught me is this sort of magic takes so much work… Crafting your own spells—you’ve told me that takes power, and energy, and immense amounts of time. Stop downplaying yourself, cariad, it’s unbecoming. This is amazing.”

The tips of Merlin’s pointed ears were red by the time Arthur stopped talking. “I…” He paused, a tender smile on his face, “I really missed you.”

“Mm, I missed you too,” Arthur hummed, “and now… Thanks to your barrier, we have more time together this time… Even if the knights searched, they wouldn’t find me. Show me some more.”

Merlin laughed slightly at the poorly concealed eager tone in Arthur’s voice. “You never will get enough of my magic, will you?”

“I don’t know, let’s see. Show me some of that…Nymph magic that’s spoken of so frequently,” the prince murmured with a smirk, sliding his arms back around Merlin’s neck, “show me how a nymph dances, again. I hear it’s mesmerizing…”

“Arthur, if you want to dance with me, all you have to do is ask for music,” Merlin teased, beginning to sway the two of them back and forth in the silent clearing.

“Well,” Arthur began, swaying with him, “might we have some music, then?”

The nymph nodded with a smile, and a shiver ran through Arthur as his blue eyes melted to gold. At the edge of the clearing, a lyre materialized as Merlin spoke that magical language again. A few more words, and it began to play soft music that echoed through the small clearing. The gold of magic in Merlin’s eyes faded back to his typical blue, and Arthur let out a breath.

“Much better,” he commented, before letting go of Merlin and stepping back, “dance for me!”

Merlin raised an eyebrow at the prince, who just grinned and waited.

“First of all, this is why I call you a voyeur, second of all, I am not your entertainer,” he told Arthur, putting his hands on his hips.

“No, of course not, you’re my lover.” Arthur tilted his head, “dance for me, fy annwyl?”

The nymph rolled his eyes. “Well, since you asked so nicely.”

His eyes flashed gold and the lyre’s tune changed to something slower. Then, he held Arthur’s gaze and began to dance, swaying along with the tempo, slowly approaching Arthur as he moved. The prince stayed still, watching as his lover danced to him When he got close enough, Merlin draped an arm over Arthur’s shoulder, circling him, dragging his hand over his shoulder, down his chest, over his other shoulder, then back to starting position as he danced around him.

Once he was in front of him again, he wrapped his arms around his neck and pressed their bodies together, smiling. Arthur’s hands found their way to Merlin’s hips, where they rested gently as the brunet began to sway them in time together again.

“Ah, that was your dance?” Arthur asked, feigning disappointment at how minimalistic and short it was. Merlin just rolled his eyes.

“You know I’m not a dancer, prat,” he retorted, “you’re lucky you got that much. I’m a healer, not a seducer.”

“Yes,” Arthur hummed, “and you’re a good healer. A shame you’re not as good of a dancer as you are a physician.”

Merlin let out a faux-disappointed sigh. “Just like a spoiled prince to complain about what silver he doesn’t have in front of the gold he does.”

“Did you just…? That was awful.”

“I think it was fantastic, you just have no taste.”

“Gods, why do I love you?” Arthur huffed out a laugh, before freezing as he processed what he said.

They stopped moving, the air felt still, and the only sound playing was the gentle song of the lyre. Merlin stared at the prince with wide eyes. Arthur’s heart stopped, he swore it did, and he held his breath. Oh gods, what did he just do.

“Did you just…?” Merlin trailed off, his voice a breathless whisper. “Arthur, you’ve never…”

“Is that, is it… Is that okay?” Arthur asked, feeling rather wrong-footed and unsure of himself now.

“Of course, it is!” Merlin was quick to assure him, “I love you, too.”

“You do?”

“Of course, I do!”

Arthur let out a breath of relief, grinning. “Great. Great… I do, love you, I mean.”

“I wondered when we’d say it,” Merlin hummed, bumping their foreheads together gently, “I didn’t want to pressure you by saying it first.”

“So, you’ve just been waiting for me to say it?” Arthur frowned. Merlin shrugged, beginning to sway them again.

“I wanted you to say it when you were comfortable… If I said it first, I’d be rushing you,” he explained, “I’ve always been told I fall in love too quick, and I didn’t want to scare you off…”

“You could never scare me off.”

“I almost did when we first met.”

“That was different,” Arthur snorted, amused as he recalled the memory.

Merlin opened his mouth to reply, but he was interrupted by the sound of shouting in the distance. Arthur sighed deeply, his shoulders drooping as he leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Merlin’s. The knights had noticed he was gone…

“I have to get back…” He murmured, feeling a twinge of guilt for having to leave so soon. Merlin just smiled softly and leaned in, pressing a gentle kiss to the prince’s lips.

“It’s okay,” he replied when they parted, “I understand.”

“One day, soon, when I’m king—” Merlin cut him off with another chaste kiss. Arthur sighed against his lips.

“Things will be different, I know,” he finished for the prince. “Until then, though… You’ll find me in the trees, just call my name and I’ll be there… Now, go. We’ll see each other again soon…”

Arthur nodded slowly, hesitating before embracing him tightly. “I’ll be back again soon, I promise, Merlin. And one day, we’ll not have to hide…”

“I know, fy mrenin, I know,” Merlin whispered, embracing him just as tight back.

When they released each other, Arthur leaned in and closed the space between them for a third time. “I love you,” he murmured against his lips.

“I love you, too,” the nymph sighed as Arthur pulled away. The prince tucked a strand of hair behind Merlin’s ear, staying still for a moment, before exhaling slowly and hurrying back the way he came as Merlin watched him leave from the center of the clearing.

As Arthur sneaked through the trees, back to the camp he and his knights had set, he found himself silently begging for the future he’s promised his Merlin. He found himself fantasizing about the days to come.

The days where Arthur will sit upon his throne as King, head held high, with Merlin at his side as his Consort.

One day.

One day…

 

Chapter 2: Epilogue

Summary:

Years later, after ascending to the throne, Arthur calls out for his lover--ready to take him home.

Notes:

hi this took AGES for me to finally get the motivation to do.

BUT here is the epilogue to The Secret Witness finally!! I hope you like it <3

Chapter Text

“You’ll find me in the trees, just call my name and I’ll be there…”

The words whispered in the forefront of Arthur’s mind for years after they were uttered. There were nights he snuck out—nights he tiptoed to the trees under the cover of night and called for his lover.

Merlin had shown every time, as he promised.

Until one day, chaos struck Camelot as King Uther fell from power. Brought down by grave illness, his reign ended far too soon—though many would say his fall was long overdue. Arthur’s love for Merlin never dissipated, but his nights of sneaking off to see him came to an abrupt end. His heart ached with the weight of his father’s death and the loss of contact with his beloved.

Days turned into weeks without being able to sneak away, and weeks became months. After that, Arthur lost track of how long it had been.

The transfer of power from Uther to Arthur had been rocky, and Arthur had only made it worse when his first act in power was the repealment of the ban on magic. Not many had taken it well.

It had been a great stress upon his back for many months. Until finally, he was able to get his council and his people to see the good in the thing his father feared so deeply.

It had easily taken two full summers for the chaos to calm down and Camelot to settle back into a calm state. Meaning it had been a full two summers at the least since Arthur had last visited his lover.

And that was why, as Arthur trekked through the forests with the stars twinkling above him, anxiety tugged at his gut.

“You’ll find me in the trees, just call my name and I’ll be there…” He had said—yet would he still be there? Would he still be waiting for Arthur, after two years of silence?

If he called for Merlin and he didn’t show—Arthur wasn’t sure what he would do. His heart ached at the mere thought of having lost him. Yet, he didn’t call his name. Too afraid that if he called it, his anxieties would be proven valid. That Merlin wouldn’t show.

That Merlin had moved on.

The leaves crushed beneath his boots as he walked through the trees. He chewed his bottom lip, staring at the ground as he walked.

Caught up in his thoughts, he’d not even realized where his feet had taken him until he stepped into the clearing. Arthur stumbled to a stop; a bitter laugh stuck in his throat as he looked around. Memories filled his head from years past.

Memories of golden eyes and magical lyres. Of swaying in the moonlight and saying “I love you” for the first time. Memories of spells made just for him, and memories of a dark-haired nymph who was nowhere to be found.

Slowly, Arthur lowered himself to the ground in the center of the clearing and sighed. His heart beat steadily in his chest and his breathing came in slow, deep breaths. He looked down to the grass beneath him as he sat cross legged, picking at the green blades, and a sad smile quirked at his lips. He closed his eyes.

“Last time I was here, you told me the clearing missed me,” he murmured, his voice rough and infinitesimally deeper than it had been those years ago, despite maintaining the same smooth quality. His quite words echoed in the silence of the clearing. “You danced and I teased you but really it was one of the most beautiful sights I’ve been lucky enough to bear witness to…You created a spell just so we would be safe together—hidden and happy and I—”

Arthur’s voice caught in his throat, shaking. He took a deep breath and steadied his voice. “I told you I loved you for the first time…and you promised to be there whenever I called your name—” he was whispering now, “—but I haven’t been here, and I haven’t called your name and I…I’m frightened if I do, you’ll not show. Frightened I’ve been gone for too long and I’m not sure how to survive without the comfort of knowing I’ll always have you.”

He picked at the grass as he spoke, eyes shut tightly in an attempt to fight off tears. He hated how quickly he’d crumbled.

“I’ve been away for so long,” he continued, “but everything I’ve done—it’s all been for you. For us. So that we don’t have to keep doing this—so you can come with me this time…and I just…need you to be here.”

Arthur opened his eyes and looked up, desperate and pleading as he raised his voice, “Merlin, I need you to be here.”

He waited with bated breath, looking around the clearing, hope in his heart. And when his plea was met with only silence, he felt something inside him crack. His shoulders sagged and he bowed his head, eyes falling shut as he stopped fighting the tears that fought to slip free.

He had figured he’d been too late—but the confirmation… It hurt worse than a bolt to the chest. Arthur took a shaking breath, resting his elbows on his knees as he dropped his head into his hands.

“Kings are busy men.” Arthur stiffened at the voice. Familiar and warm and right behind him. There was a pause—a shaky inhale—then, a whispered, “I knew you would come back for me.”

Arthur turned around so fast he nearly gave himself whiplash, teary eyes wide with shock and awe as they landed on the man standing behind him. His throat grew tight, and his heart stuttered. Arthur pushed himself to his feet, stumbling, and closed the space between them without a thought.

His arms wrapped tightly around Merlin as he tugged him close and buried his face in his shoulder. Breathed him in. Closed his eyes. Let himself believe it was real. Believe Merlin was real.

It was easier to believe when two arms snaked around his waist and held him equally as tight.

They stood in silence, holding one another like lifelines. Arthur never wanted to let him go. Eventually, though, he did loosen his hold just enough to pull back and take a good look at his face.

“Oh, Merlin,” he breathed, his eyes flicking across his face, taking in every single change and every little feature. Freckles dusted his cheeks now and his eyes were a deeper shade of blue. His cheekbones seemed almost sharper, more pronounced. He looked older. Just as Arthur did. Yet, he still looked like the same old Merlin he knew and loved so much.

“I missed you, Arthur,” Merlin whispered, a vulnerability to his voice that made Arthur ache.

Instead of replying, he leaned in and captured Merlin’s lips in a slow, long overdue kiss. Merlin’s lips moved back against his own like no time had passed between them at all. Their bodies pressed close together, Arthur found himself the most relaxed he’d been in ages. And when they parted, it was only enough to rest their foreheads together.

“I never want to be parted from you again,” Arthur murmured.

Merlin’s breath hitched. “Neither do I… I waited, every day, hoping you’d come and say my name but—I knew of the chaos that had become of Camelot…I knew my chances of seeing you were far and few and now,” he paused. A grin spread across his face. “Now, you’re here.”

“And you’re here,” Arthur sighed.

The silence that fell over them was comfortable. Yet not quite right. Arthur hummed softly and gripped the back of Merlin’s tunic. “Dance with me—like we did before…”

“I’m still no dancer,” Merlin replied, “but, as you wish.”

His eyes melted to gold and Arthur watched in awe. The sight one he’d missed so desperately. One he would never get tired of. Most notably, though, Merlin didn’t speak any strange words this time before his eyes faded back to blue and a lyre materialized on the far end of the clearing.

“You’ve been improving,” he commented.

“I’ve been practicing,” Merlin corrected.

Arthur chuckled softly. Soft, slow music began to fill the clearing and the pair swayed along to it. Foreheads still pressed ever-so-gently together.

“Did you ever lose hope?” Arthur asked quietly as they swayed. Merlin squeezed him lightly and sighed.

“No. No, I knew you would come back to me,” He paused. “You did, though.”

“I was gone two summers, it’s selfish of me to expect you to wait so long,” Arthur sighed. “I didn’t lose hope, I just…feared my hope was…pointless.”

“I’ll always be here, Arthur.”

“What if I don’t want you to be anymore?”

Merlin stiffened in his arms. Then, he pulled away—out of his arms—and looked at Arthur with hurt clear in his eyes. “What?”

Arthur’s heart skipped as he realized his mistake. Quickly, he reached out and grabbed Merlin’s hands, wide eyed.

“No, no! I didn’t mean—oh, gods, Merlin.” Arthur huffed out a laugh, shaking his head. “I don’t want you to be here anymore. I want…I want you to come back with me. Be my consort. Rule at my side, where you’re meant to be…where we don’t have to hide and sneak around, because we deserve so much more than short stolen moments in the night.”

Merlin visibly relaxed. Arthur watched his shoulder’s sag and heard him exhale slowly. Relieved. Then, slowly, a giddy grin spread across his face.

“Your consort?” he asked, “Arthur, are you…was that a proposal?”

“Yes.”

The lyre came to an abrupt halt, de-materializing as fast as it materialized before Merlin—eyes blazing gold—launched himself at Arthur. A gleeful laugh echoed through the clearing as Merlin wrapped his arms around his neck and kissed him deeply. Flowers bloomed all around them and floating, golden lights twinkled around them.

When Merlin pulled back, Arthur found himself mesmerized by the sight around them. The clearing truly alive and glowing despite Merlin’s eyes being blue once more.

“It’s happy—the clearing,” Merlin said, hands buried in Arthur’s hair, as if reading his mind. “It’s happy for us.”

“I can see that,” he replied softly. “Does that mean…does that mean you’ll marry me?”

“Does that mean I’ll—?” Merlin cut himself off with an incredulous scoff. Arthur almost dared to be offended, but the grin on Merlin’s face left him unable to be anything but happy. “Of course, cariad, oh, of course.”

The lights seemed to glow brighter at Merlin’s acceptance and Arthur grinned. “Well, we’d better get you back to Camelot, then, so everyone can meet you.”

“It’s finally happening,” Merlin said, awestruck. “The day we’ve been waiting for—it’s finally here… I’m coming with you back to the castle. We don’t have to hide… We finally made it.”

Arthur took a deep breath and embraced Merlin close, shutting his eyes as he buried his face into his neck. They were finally there. After so many years, after so many nights of sneaking around, after so much trouble and risk…

“We finally made it…”

Notes:

thank you for reading, i hope you liked it!