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As every morning Merlin enters Arthur's chambers, if you ask any castle worker, except Gwen, no one knows what that thin and eared boy is doing, even attending to the king, formerly prince of Camelot, if he is not even able to arrive punctually to his job, not to mention his clumsiness.
If you ask Gwen, Morgana, or any knight of the round wood, he is simply Merlin and Merlin belongs to King Arthur, just as Arthur belongs to Merlin, as simple as that.
Upon entering the chambers, everything is dark, so Merlin simply needs a snap of the fingers, so that the curtains move and let in the sunlight, and yes, magic is legal in Camelot, Arthur took care of it shortly after ascending to the tro, to the delight of Merlin and Morgana and unfortunately the knights and senior advisors, who see this as a scandal or uktrae to the honor of King Uther.
But you know what?
Uther is dead and this is the reign of King Arthur Pendragon, so screw the old grouches.
[...]
Merlin approaches ready to wake up the king, when he realizes that once again, there is vomit in the small basin that he left the night before before going to sleep and that for some days now, the king has had some dizziness and vomit, which has not been given much importance because lately there is a virus in the castle, but at the same time Gaius controls it as a good court physician that he is.
"Arthur" calls the servant to his master.
"Mmmmm" is the almost non-existent response.
"Arturo, you have vomited again, you have been like this for almost a week, I think Gaius should check you again, it is not normal for you to be like this for so many days".
"It's nothing Merlin, don't worry about me and go back to your stupid servant duties, that's what I pay you for" the king answers reluctantly, without even showing signs of wanting to get out of bed.
Merlin not content with that answer, does not hesitate to blink, which makes the king's sheets fly off the bed, leaving a king with dark circles under his eyes and a yellowish complexion, at his sight.
"Arthur" whispers Merlin as he sees the king's pitiful state.
[...]
After several attempts and with a pinch of magic, the king seems presentable despite the pitiful state he was in when he woke up.
And no, the thing does not improve, but on the contrary, is to put Arthur's breakfast in front of him and what in a normal day, would be finished as soon as Merlin finishes his chores, today he hardly tastes the food, in fact it produces some retching that he tries to hide by clearing his throat.
But Merlin is no fool and has a suspicion that this is not a simple virus.
If only he could convince Arthur to have Gaius check him, but the Prat refuses and anyone dares to disobey the king and yes, Merlin would otherwise disobey him, but lately Arthur is more aggressive and irascible than usual.
That is something, which apparently not only he has noticed, but it is commented by the castle, moreover, even the closest friends of both, such as Morgana, Lancelot and surprisingly enough Leon, have asked Merlin, if he and Arthur have fought.
And is that the closest friends are the only ones with Gaius, who are aware of the relationship between master and servant, and no, we are not talking about just a very strong friendship, but there is good love between them.
Something that both have decided not to say publicly, not because they are ashamed of what they have, but because things are a little heated even after the repeal of the maia and prefer not to make more scandal if possible, with the news that the king has chosen a man, and not just a man, but his servant, who by the way has magic, as his life partner.
As funny and sometimes tentative as it is to say it, they prefer to keep it hidden, they don't want more heart attacks, as I almost provoked the lifting of the ban on magic, to two of Uther's advisors.
"I think that's enough" sentences Arturo, getting up from his chair, even with the table almost full of his breakfast.
"I think you should eat something, you have training with the knights in a while and I don't think not eating breakfast will help you to be more effective" suggests Merñin.
"Nonsense, fighting is not based on the amount of food, but on strength, bravery and above all strategy, besides..." the king looks Merlin in the eyes "if I remember correctly, you're always messing with my weight, so, me not eating should be a victory for you" he adds.
"Well, it's one thing to eat less and quite another to eat only two turkey steaks, which by the way made you gag" Merlin sentences.
Arthur's face is a poem, as he thought that Merlin had not noticed, but of course, Merlin knows him too well, in all aspects and ways.
[...]
It's almost midday when, on the training field, things get even worse if they can.
The knights have been training long enough to take a break, but Arthur insists on going on and anyone can't stand him these days, so there he goes, under the watchful eyes of Melin, Morgana and Gwen, who are watching the training and, why not, their boys.
It is the turn of Gwaine against Arthur, of course, when everything happens and it is Gwaine who pales even before the king himself.
Arthur is not feeling well, he feels cramps in his back and arms, not to say that he feels dizzy, but he decides not to say anything, because that would be to face a defeat in front of Merlin, and weakness before his men, so no, he prefers to die rather than give up.
They are fighting, when suddenly Gwaine, goes from being one to three and Arthur does not know against which of the three to defend himself, so he decides to attack the one in the middle, which he knows is a big mistake, as soon as he notices something sharp and a little deep in his right side.
Suddenly, it seems that everything goes in slow motion, Gwaine is pulled away by one of Percival's arms, while the knight is paler than snow and the background voices calling him become more and more diffuse and distant, while darkness and warmth invade his body, taking him to another place in another world.
[...]
The pain that runs through his body is strong, no more than any wound that can receive in a fight, but in the current state of Arturo, it seems so.
The voices, once distant, sound closer and closer again and that is a good sign, at least he is not dead, or at least Arturo hopes he is not, because it would be a very short reign.
"Arthur" whispers a voice, while caressing his face.
"Mer...Merlin" answers devil.
"Yes, it's me" a smile appears on the servant's face, when he sees that the other is already able to open his eyes, even if it is slowly.
With the help of Merñin and Elyan, Arturo sits up on the stretcher, where minutes before he had been lying prostrate.
It takes Arthur a few minutes to come out of his daze and he realizes that his most loyal knights, Gwen and Morgana, are also in the physician's chambers watching him.
"Sir, how are you feeling?" it is Gauis who breaks the silence as the good physician that he is.
"Tired" he answers.
"Princess, I, I didn't want to hurt him, I thought he would defend himself, I didn't think this was going to happen" this time it is Gewaine who speaks, although it doesn't seem so since it is perhaps the time he is more serious and if it wasn't for the nickname, Arthur would doubt that it was him who spoke.
[...]
The doctor's chambers have been emptied, except for Morganna, Leon, Merlin, Gaius and the king himself, the others have decided to leave and let the king rest, after all, he had embedded a sword in his body and with that little joke, no matter how fast he had acted removing the sword from there and despite the healing magic that Merlin used to close the wound.
"Your Majesty, what are we going to do about the council meeting we have in half an hour," it is too late to cancel it, Leon commented.
It is true the council, to discuss the lands of a citizen, recently deceased and who left the fields without heir, as well as the tariffs that were being considered to include.
Arturo sighs, if before he did not feel like attending, now he does not have the strength either, so he chooses to look at his sister, who with just a glance, knows what her brother wants to say.
"You're joking, right? I'm not willing to be with those old men," Morgana replies.
"Gana.." warns Arturo, using that name he used when they were little.
"For God's sake Arthur, don't use that with me, you know the council members are bitter
"Including Leon?" asks Merlin.
"Oh come on, you on top of that give him the reason..." rolls Morgana's eyes "Besides Leon is my boyfriend, he just like my brother don't count," Morgana defends herself.
"Morgana, as much as you hate it, when I made you princess of Camelot, the duty to serve the people and the council came with it" Arthur reminds her.
"Yes, but only if you die and as far as I can see you are still alive.
"Morgana..." interjects Leon.
It is then, under the pressure of the three men Morgana decides to act as princess of Camelot in that stupid council, but not without getting her way first.
"Okay, but if tomorrow you see someone dressed as a buffoon or with an ugly pointy nose, do not tell me anything.
"Morgana!" shouts the king, but it's too late his sister is no longer in the chambers
Arthur curses his sister and the council, until he can no longer and let his whole body collapse and take him back into the darkness, luckily Merlin is there to hold him and not let him fall, as always there he is, his fel Merlin.
"My Merlin" He says already in a collapse and absolute sleep
[...]
The next time he wakes up, only Merlin and Gaius are in the chambers and by the dim candlelight, as well as the darkness coming through a small window, he can tell that it is already night.
"Here, take this, it will do you good" Merlin offers him some warm soup.
Luckily for him, the soup is good for his body and makes him feel something in his stomach, something that hasn't happened since breakfast, if you can call it breakfast.
After eating the soup, Arthur looks at Merlin and does not know what it is, but he feels as if he knows something he does not know, something important, because of the fear and nervousness reflected in his eyes.
And yes, Merlin may know Arthur very well, but Arthur also knows Merlin very well.
"Merlin, are you going to spit it out or are we going to have to wait until I actually die?" comments Arthur.
"I don't know what you are talking about majesty"
"Yaaas..." Arthur rolls his eyes "Simply by calling me majesty, you're clearly hiding something from me."
Were it not for the silence in the room, Arthur would not have heard Merlin gulp, but fortunately or unfortunately, it depends on who you ask, he had heard him and that made indicate that Arthur was right .
Luckily for Merlin, Gaius springs into action with a small bottle of purple liquid.
"Here sir, please drink this" Gaius offers him the concoction.
"What is this for?" asks Arthur, not quite sure of the contents of the jar.
Gaius and Merlin look at each other, but neither says anything, Arthur doesn't know why.
"Simply put, this will help me to check if all is well in his body" Gaius finishes saying.
"Why wouldn't it be?" asks Arthur, frowning.
"Well your majesty, Merlin has told me that you are still vomiting and quite weak" confesses the physician.
"Arthur, please take it," he asks. Merlin, who had already been silent for some time.
In the end the king reluctantly takes it and what happens next catches him unawares, he is almost unaware of what is happening, until he sees the faces of Merlin and Gaius and how their gazes are fixed on his torso.
If it weren't for the fact that Gaius is also staring at his torso, or at least he thinks so, he would swear that everything is fine, since it is not surprising to catch Merlin looking at him, be it his torso, his ass, his lips, let's say Arthur in general.
But when Gaius looks at him, Arthur lowers his gaze and it is then, when he realizes that they were not looking at his torso, but at his belly in which, now a small purple ball can be seen.
[...]
After the first few minutes of astonishment, Gaius begins to check on Arthur, without even telling the king what's going on, until finally everything is confirmed.
"And well....?" Arthur looks at the doctor, when he stops running tests
"You see sir, I'm afraid you are expecting the future heir or heiress of Camelot" says without further detours the doctor.
Suddenly Arthur feels like in a nine, this time there is no darkness, no warmth, only cold, so much so that a shiver runs down his spine.
Arthur looks at Merlin, who bites his lip but says nothing, it is clear that he already knew, that's what he was hiding from him.
[...]
Arthur is in his chambers, lying on the bed, Merlin has left after preparing him to sleep, although if it were up to the servant, he would have stayed with the king, but this time it was Arthur who asked him to leave, he needed to be alone, to think about everything that had happened today and especially about the baby.
According to Gaius, he had never seen anything like this, but of course, both Merlin and Arthur are not what can be called normal, since one was born of magic and the other was magic itself.
Surely this could only happen to them and Arthur does not know how to feel about this event.
Luckily for the king, the ocuordad and warmth take hold of him again, are not before resting one of his. Hands on his belly, but on top of the sheets.
If the king dreams of a baby who called him "daddy" or should he call him "mommy" well there will be time to discuss it, either way, that only he knows.