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“Keep up, would you? The sunset won’t wait for us to get there.” Arthur glanced back towards Merlin with a scowl, completely unburdened by the several bags Merlin had been forced to carry because apparently it was his job to make sure the prince never lifted a finger.
Okay, maybe it was his job, in a sense, but that didn’t make it any less unjust.
“Maybe if I studied more, it would,” Merlin couldn’t help but think as he tripped over a branch that Arthur had effortlessly stepped over as he walked on ahead. It had been Gwen who had suggested that Merlin bring up the idea of watching the sunset. Arthur had been stressed, and Merlin was tired of it getting taken out on him. Sure, Arthur had always been a bit of an asshole to him, but it had gotten worse over the past fortnight. Eventually, something had to give.
So he’d put up with it until they were alone, when he’d brought up how he’d found a clearing in the nearby woods where the sun graced his presence every once in a while. Arthur had been apprehensive at first, but Merlin had won that particular battle. The next day, Arthur had stomped over to Gaius’s home two hours before the sun was meant to set, demanding to see Merlin.
To onlookers, he sounded as though he simply needed his servant to fetch him something, but the quiet plead Arthur had given to get him the hell away from the town sounded rather- well, the correct term for it probably wouldn’t be properly formed for centuries, but those who were brave enough to look into the future might say that Arthur sounded quite queer.
Whatever that meant.
And now, in the present, which was the only thing Merlin had the ability to exist in, they were coming up on the clearing. Merlin gazed out at the sunset, and the orange hues in the sky looking over the trees made his heart skip a beat. It was so peaceful. None of the sounds or, god forbid the smells, of the town could taint his view on the place. Noticing their presence, a deer bounded off into the woods.
Arthur cleared his throat, looking at Merlin expectantly. “Are you just going to stand there, or are you going to get my things ready? I can’t be sitting on the ground, Merlin, these are my favorite trousers.”
Damn him.
“The grass is hardly going to kill you, I promise.” Merlin rolled his eyes, but nevertheless dug out a blanket for the spoiled prat to sit on. Nearby, a stream could be heard. The sound of flowing water rushing against the rocks on the shoreline, never ceasing, was something Merlin liked to think back on when he was stressed. Nothing bad could happen to him here. Sometimes he dreamt about floating away on the current, with no responsibilities.
Unfortunately, it seemed as though he’d invited his responsibilities- or at least, his main one- to the one place he usually went to get away from them.
“The grass might not kill me, Merlin, but it will kill my reputation if I’ve got dirt all over my clothes.”
“Damn your reputation. None of that is meant to matter when you’re alone,” Merlin snapped. He hadn’t meant to, but the man had really been getting on his nerves lately. There must be something happening soon, or Arthur wouldn’t have been nearly as much of a nuisance as he’d been as of late.
He had to remind himself why he was here.
Arthur went silent for a moment, looking around as he thought to himself. Something had to have clicked in that thick skull of his, because he nodded and leaned back so he could look up at the sky more properly. “Yes, I suppose you’re right.”
That was about as much of an apology as Merlin figured he was going to get for Arthur making his life a living hell, so he quietly sat down on the grass next to the blanket. A light wind coming in from the north rustled the fabric on his tunic, pushing it against him slightly. Arthur seemed unbothered.
If anything, he seemed to be relaxing a bit. Nobody was around. He had no responsibilities here, aside from those he gave himself.
Arthur had seemed older lately. He’d been messing around a lot less, too focused on whatever had been bothering him. Merlin didn’t like it. Not that it was any of his business, of course, and he hardly expected Arthur to talk to him about it, but he hoped whatever was going to happen did so soon.
They sat in a comfortable silence for a while, listening to the birds as they watched the sun go down. Neither felt the need to speak, because what was there to speak about? Except, of course, for the things Arthur needed him to do, but he never told Merlin any of those until just before they parted. It was simply more efficient, really, and it gave Merlin a better chance of remembering it. Not that he thought Arthur was taking
his
level of ease into account.
Their silence was broken up by shouting in the woods to the south. Merlin shot up, eager to help, but Arthur pulled him back down. Merlin nearly twisted his ankle trying not to fall on top of him.
“Don’t go. They’ll sort it out eventually, or we’ll hear about it tomorrow. Either way, nothing we need to concern ourselves with. Besides, what are you going to do? You don’t even have a sword.”
Arthur made a good point, but there was still a pit in Merlin’s stomach. Something was wrong.
Merlin shook his head, frowning as he got back up. “I’ve got to go. Somebody could be hurt.”
As Merlin rushed away, Arthur called after him.
“What am I meant to do with all this then?”
Merlin didn’t even look back to face him as he answered. “You’re stronger than me! You’ll be fine!”
Despite the fact that Arthur hadn’t seemed the least bit bothered about the situation unfolding, Merlin knew Arthur was eventually going to come running after Merlin. Whether he liked it or not, Arthur was never going to be able to stop himself from running after him when he was in danger.