This had quite possibly been the stupidest idea they'd ever had.

Arthur had been trying to find a way to confess his feelings for Merlin for a while. And, as good of a friend as Gwen was, she'd agreed to help Arthur out with that. They'd tried loads of things. Lots of little hinting, little gestures. But, as Arthur so often said, Merlin could be an idiot. When it came to taking hints, Merlin was incredibly stupid.

So, through one last conversation, Gwen had come up with a way for Arthur to proposition Merlin without really admitting his feelings yet. Arthur was cursing to himself quietly as he came back to his chambers, thinking surely that this was not going to work.

When he reached his room, he may have shut the door a little too harshly behind it – actually, slammed might be the better term. Merlin jumped at the sound, turning towards the door. He took a sigh of relief at seeing Arthur being the one standing there. "Hello, prat, sounds like you've had a bad day. Don't worry, I'll be out of your way soon enough. Once I finish cleaning this mess, I'll leave you alone to brood."

Arthur stood there nervously for a moment, watching Merlin carefully, swallowing hard as he prepped himself to speak the words. "Merlin, I actually wanted to ask a favor of you. Unless you really have somewhere to be today, it can wait…"Arthur started fiddling with his hands, internally cursing himself for sounding so nervous.

Merlin turned around, an amused smirk painted across his face. "Arthur, you don't have to ask me to do your chores. Usually you just start listing things off in a very prat-like manner. I'm used to it by now, you know."

Arthur cleared his throat, looking back into Merlin's eyes. "It's not about chores, really. I mean – no, you know what, I can't ask."

Arthur went to walk away, and Merlin walked around until he was in front of Arthur. "Okay, now I really want to know. What is it you want to ask of me? Come on, I've probably heard odder requests."

"Probably not," Arthur mumbled.

Merlin sighed, pulling his hands away from Arthur's shoulders. "You're my friend, Arthur. Don't be a prat about this. You don't get to lead off with that and not tell me what's on your mind."

"I wanted to ask you," Arthur paused, clearing his throat again, trying to force the words out. "There's someone I wanted to impress and there's an area of relationships like that I don't know anything about but you actually might and I was wondering…"

A wide smile spread out across Merlin's face. "You want me to teach you how to impress someone, like that?" He paused for a moment, and then he flushed a deep crimson. "Um, well, I would but I'm kind of a man and well…I'm guessing it's a woman you are after and maybe I could talk to Gwen and she could talk you through ideas and-"

Arthur stopped Merlin with a finger to his friend's lips. "It's not."

Merlin gulped. "Oh, um, okay, I could…I could help then." Merlin let a small smile break onto his face. "I get the nervousness now, um, okay. So, you want to try things…with me…to learn for somebody else?"

"Pretty much," Arthur said semi-honestly. He tried not to think of how the stable tone of his voice broke as he asked the next part: "I was thinking possibly tonight, after your done whatever you need to do today, we could meet back here?"

Merlin nodded slowly. "Sounds like a plan." Then Merlin went back to work, and Arthur sat at his desk to attempt to get some paperwork done. Both of them were silent until Merlin was about ready to leave to get the rest of his outside duties done for the day. "I should probably relish in this, right? Something I can actually teach you about."

Arthur chuckled as he turned back towards Merlin. "Just go! I'll see you later tonight." Merlin went to turn towards the door again, before Arthur stopped him in his tracks. "And, Merlin, if you could refrain from spreading the word about this…I just am not sure I want others to know yet."

Merlin came back to Arthur's desk, leaning over to give Arthur one peck on the cheek. "You are my best friend, Arthur. I promise this is your secret to tell, not mine." Merlin leaned down and gave Arthur one peck on the lips. "I will see you later tonight."

Arthur groaned after his manservant left the room. Why had he asked to wait until later tonight?

*Morgana's Room*

Merlin barged into Morgana's room right before he was supposed to be going over to see Arthur, looking for either Gwaine or Gwen, hoping for some closing advice. All he found was Morgana, sitting on her bed and reading.

Morgana looked up, smiling gently. "Merlin, always a pleasure to see you," she said softly. Then she took one look at his face, and scooted up the bed, coming closer. "Are you alright?"

"A bit frazzled, more than a bit nervous," Merlin said carefully, pacing around Morgana's room. "Have you seen Gwaine or Gwen by chance?"

"They're out at the tavern with many of the knights tonight, Arthur's been a recluse today so most of them have taken the night off," Morgana said gently. "Why, you need advice?"

Merlin sat on the edge of the bed and laid his head on Morgana's shoulder. "I'm not going to give you a name, but there's this guy. And he wants me to teach him about…well, you know. Not that I don't think I can teach him, I guess I could because I do have some experience. The problem is that I'm worried that it will be over and he will cast me aside and decide that's all he wants from me. Because I might actually be in love with him and he only seems to want to use me for a quick lesson, the prat."

Morgana smiled, knowing what Merlin was talking of through Gwen, and chuckled softly as she ran her fingers through Merlin's hair gently. "I think what you want to do is up to you. Maybe this could be your one chance to see what it would be like? And, if when that's over it's over, then at least you got to see what it was like to have him just that once?"

Merlin nodded into Morgana's shoulder, reaching his arms over to give her a quick hug before getting up. "He's expecting me around now, I probably should be going."

Morgana got up, and put her hand softly to Merlin's face to wipe away a few tears. "Come on, it'll be fun."

Merlin smiled, gathering himself up before he left. "Yes, I suppose so."

*Arthur's Chambers*

"Gwen, I don't know if I can go through with this," Arthur said swiftly.

Gwen furrowed her eyebrows. "Arthur, if you back out now, you're going to have to tell him something. Maybe this is the time to admit your feelings?"

"I just don't want him to think I'm just using him, or for him to just think this is just some cheap lesson that nothing could happen after," Arthur sighed. "Am I making any sense at all?"

"Loads," Gwen said softly. "Listen, it's whatever you want to do. Admit it to him, don't admit it to him. Just have a good night, be careful. And if you need me, I'll be out at the tavern tonight."

"At the tavern, Gwen," Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow at her.

Gwen chuckled. "I deserve a night off, and the knights are all down there. I'll be good and safe, don't you worry about me Pendragon."

Arthur returned his face to one of calm, laughing as well. "You better be going then, Merlin will be here any minute."

"Speak of the devil and he shall arrive," Merlin said jokingly as he walked into the door, only having heard the last statement.

Gwen smiled at Merlin. "You're not the devil, Merlin." She came closer to Merlin and whispered in his ear: "Be kind to Arthur for me, will you? He's nervous about all this."

Merlin smiled back gently, nodding. Gwen walked out of the door, and then they were alone as the door shut behind her.

Merlin stepped closer to Arthur, and walked until he was standing right in front of him. He was still keeping a bit of a distance, but closer nonetheless. "I have to ask, um, how much experience do you have…in this area?"

Arthur closed his eyes, not wanting to see Merlin's reaction. "None."

"NONE? As in not even – okay, yeah, strict parentage and whatever but…okay, not the focus," Merlin laughed softly at Arthur's eyes being closed. He leaned in closer, and taking advantage of Arthur's closed eyes, attached their lips together.

The kissing was okay, and Merlin had to admit that Arthur was something of a natural in that area. Lucky prat, as he was. But this was just the motion of closed lips, because Arthur wasn't sure how to proceed further properly and Merlin was just too concentrated on their kissing to break it away. When they finally broke apart for air, they both opened their eyes. "So, um…"

"That's good, for starters," Merlin said in a soft voice. "Okay, but past that, you could try and deepen the kiss."

"How do I…ask to do that?" Arthur asked carefully.

Merlin liked this more than he cared to admit, the lost look in Arthur's eyes as he asked for advice, because he actually wasn't being sarcastic with Merlin this time. "Well, you could either just dive into the next kiss with open lips on both end, but that's assuming the other person is as domineering as you are. Or, you know, you could just prod with your tongue until they grant you access. That doesn't mean you bother them for too long at once. You kiss and suggest back and forth perhaps until they want that, if they do."

"Can…I try that?" Arthur asked softly.

Merlin just nodded, and they both leaned in for another kiss. Merlin had to be careful, and he had to remember to keep this realistic. At least that's what he told himself going into it. But the second that Arthur's tongue tried to prod his lips, he didn't hesitate as one most likely would. He opened their lips together and their tongues danced in a glorious battle for dominance, and both of them were suddenly getting far too into it. Merlin's hands made their way to Arthur's waist, and Arthur's hands were in Merlin's hair. And they were pushing into each other and Arthur was walking Merlin backwards and it was all just so natural. Well, until again when they needed to breathe, and they pulled away for air. Both of them were panting.

Arthur gained enough composure to speak next. "What, what's next?"

"Okay," Merlin breathed. "Um, well, there are sensitive spots. A lot of people have them on their necks, but you can't just blatantly ask where they are, I suppose. Some people claim that they don't know where they are as only partners tend to focus on it. You need to search for them. Carefully, whether it be through nipping or kissing or licking at the skin of the neck, you need to try and figure out what spot makes them tremble."

Arthur nodded. "What do you prefer?"

"Excuse me?" Merlin asked in a light-headed voice.

"The nipping, the kissing, or the licking at the neck? What do you prefer? If I'm going to try this out on you, I should know-"

Merlin shook his head. "You get to figure that out on your own, like in reality."

Arthur sighed, leaning back in and capturing Merlin's lips with his own. Then, after a few more moments of deep kissing of the lips, he started to work his lips down Merlin's face and onto Merlin's neck, alternating between all of those things Merlin had listed, and adding a bit of sucking to the mix which was something he guessed Merlin knew he'd have to figure out on his own. As he held Merlin's hips to his, he felt Merlin's whole body shudder as he hit the spot on Merlin's lower neck. He focused heavily on that area, and Merlin started falling to putty in his arms. And, as he was sucking and nipping the sensitive area, he noticed as he pulled away a mark had started to form. Actually, if Arthur was to be correct, there were several marks forming around Merlin's neck, only the strongest being over that particular area.

Arthur lifted his head back up so he could match Merlin's eyes, running his fingers over the marks. "I'm sorry, Merlin."

Merlin took a second to let it register, and then he started laughing. "That's why I didn't suggest sucking, Arthur. Unlike me, most people around the kingdom don't tend to have an extensive collection of neckerchiefs lying around." Merlin cleared his throat, flushing. "But, in my case, you have nothing to apologize for."

"Really?" Arthur asked gently. "You like being marked?"

Merlin laughed nervously. "Like that, yes. I don't know if it's a popular opinion or anything, but it's just something I like, prat."

"Obviously," Arthur said, slowly trailing his hand down Merlin's body, until it reached down to brush over Merlin's already significantly growing bulge in his trousers.

Merlin closed his eyes and he let his head lean back against the wall as Arthur stroked him through his trousers. Arthur used that as an opportunity and went back to working on his neck, earning a moan from the young sorcerer. "Arthur, please, stop teasing."

Arthur pulled his lips away for a moment. "Not good?"

Merlin sighed. "Too good," he mumbled. Then he let his voice return to normal, hoping Arthur hadn't heard him say that. "I just think that maybe we should move on to learning something else?"

"Like what?" Arthur asked amusedly.

Merlin scoffed. "This is your lessons not mine, what do you want to learn next?"

Arthur took in Merlin's current state, flushed and eyes practically begging for more, and leaned forward to whisper in Merlin's ear: "I want to learn how to properly suck cock."

Merlin groaned, feeling his hips buck forward at the mere thought. "Bed, now."

Arthur kept hands on Merlin's hips, leading him back towards the bed, laying him down softly and climbing on top. Merlin reached his arms up, allowing Arthur access to simply slip off the simply tunic that Merlin had worn to his room. Then Arthur started learning on his own accord, kissing down from Merlin's lips to his neck and down the smaller boy's chest before kissing along the waistline of Merlin's trousers. He looked up to Merlin, smiling gently. "May I?"

"That's…of course," Merlin said quickly. "But if you use your teeth, I may kill you."

"Fair enough," Arthur said gently, before he kissed again on Merlin's torso as he undid the trousers and slid away the black-haired boy's trousers and pants until Merlin was completely naked underneath him. Arthur took a moment to admire the boy beneath him before leaning back down, kissing up and down Merlin's thighs for a few moments, before licking the underside of Merlin's erection.

"Fuck," Merlin moaned through his teeth. He couldn't watch anymore. Arthur carefully took majority of Merlin's cock past his lips, licking and sucking and …Merlin could swear he was humming, which he was almost sure wasn't intentional, but it felt so damn good. He felt the urge to snap up his hips, and he instead grabbed Arthur's hands, placing them to hold his hips down.

Arthur popped off of Merlin's member for a moment, confused. "Something wrong?"

Merlin shook his head. "Just don't want to choke you. Some people might want to thrust into your lips, it's a natural impulse. And, smart ones like me, aren't going to make you take that and will ask you to hold me down."

"What if I wasn't that smart?" Arthur said with a smirk, before diving back down onto Merlin's cock and letting his hands fall away from Merlin's hips. Merlin moaned loudly, and before he could logically rethink it, he started thrusting up into Arthur's greedy lips. Arthur hollowed out his throat and let Merlin do as he pleased… finding it fascinating that this was perhaps the first time Merlin had let himself loose like this. It wasn't long until Merlin was keening in pleasure, and he was telling Arthur that he was going to cum. Which to Merlin's surprise, ended in Arthur grasping onto Merlin's hips, holding him down, and sucking harder. Merlin exploded down Arthur's throat, and Arthur didn't let loose until he'd milked Merlin of his entire orgasm.

When Arthur finally did come back up, kissing slowly up the smaller boy's chest, Merlin seemed to be having a bit of a panic attack. "I'm sorry, prat. I mean, Arthur. I mean-"

"Merlin, it was…it was good," Arthur said softly, reaching up and kissing Merlin once tenderly. "I'm just a little disappointed it's over."

Merlin chuckled sweetly, flipping them over so he was now on top. "Oh, it's not over yet. Unless you intend it to be over," Merlin kissed Arthur passionately, and then leaned down to the prince's neck, cycling through different actions and earning multiple moans from the blonde's lips. "I'll try not to leave any marks. I just think you might like to figure out how you like things. Oh, and you have more things to learn."

Arthur breathed shallow breaths, trying to speak between moans. "But you just-"

Merlin chuckled again. "We're young, we have more stamina than one go. At least I do, I don't know about you. Care to find out?" Merlin asked, waggling his eyebrows.

"Merlin," Arthur groaned, reaching up his arms, and spreading his legs a bit, easing the way as Merlin sought to undress him. The undressing portion went by quickly, and soon Merlin had his face hovering over Arthur's cock.

Merlin leaned down and licked up the shaft. Arthur writhed in pleasure beneath him. Merlin took more of the member past his lips, sucking a bit insistently over the prince's cock. It took less time than either of them would ever admit for Merlin's ministrations to bring Arthur to his first climax. As if returning the favor, Merlin swallowed as Arthur had, then came back up Arthur's body, smirking. "It was your first, don't worry. Just means you'll be able to last longer, you know, for the next part."

Merlin reached down, grasping Arthur's cock in a hand with his own, stroking them until they became hard again. It didn't take long, and Merlin was reaching down towards his clothes, pulling out a small vile of oil from his trousers. "I should have asked before, I suppose. Did you want to…or did you want me to…I didn't think about that." Merlin went to hand Arthur the vile, assuming before getting an answer that Arthur would want to top.

Arthur shook his head, not taking the bottle. "I want you to…"

Merlin smiled softly. "Really, I always thought you'd be more of a-"

"We could always try it both ways, but I have a feeling the person I want to impress has been dying to be the one in control for a while," Arthur said sweetly.

"I know the feeling," Merlin mumbled, again. "That sounds…okay. We could try it both ways, if you decide. Just let me, um, give me a second."

Merlin poured oil over his fingers before moving his hand around to Arthur's arse, moving his fingers in between the cheeks and inserting a first finger. Arthur's face held a flash of pain before it went away, as he didn't want Merlin to notice. Merlin did. "Arthur, relax for me, please. It's going to burn a bit at first, and if you change your mind, let me know. Just relax."

Merlin reached up to kiss Arthur on the lips as a distraction as he prepared the prince below him. He started first with one finger to which Arthur never seemed to reach to other than the occasional flinch. Then, when it hit two fingers that he curved up, he hit a spot that made Arthur practically buck into his hand, and Merlin chuckled into Arthur's lips. When he hit the third, Arthur pulled his lips away from Merlin's, looking him very deeply in the eyes as he asked for him to proceed.

Merlin then pulled out his fingers, and he proceeded to coat his member with a generous amount of lubricating oil before lining up with Arthur's entrance and slowly pushing inside.

Arthur groaned, low in his throat. It hurt. It did burn. But, at the same time, it was overwhelmingly pleasurable. And it was Merlin. Oh, fuck, it was Merlin in there. Arthur couldn't be any happier about that.

Merlin watched carefully as he pushed inside, watching every feature of Arthur's composure, making sure he would stop if he saw pain there. But Arthur seemed so peaceful, so flushed, so aroused. Fuck, Merlin was going to have to move soon.

Arthur took a few deep breaths, flexing and releasing his lower muscles, getting used to the sensation of Merlin being inside him. It didn't take long before he was looking up into Merlin's impossibly dark eyes, begging his friend to move. And, so he did. Merlin's thrusting quickly became fast and hard. And he quickly found the spot that made Arthur's head snap back and him scream out Merlin's name.

It lasted a long time for them both, with Arthur coming to just the stimulation of Merlin's thrusting. That was followed almost immediately after by Merlin, who crumbled at the feeling of the walls of Arthur's muscle surrounding his member tightening so deliciously.

After they both coaxed one another through their climax, Merlin slowly pulled out of Arthur, then he turned to lay facing away from Arthur on the bed. He closed his eyes, trying not to let the emotion of it destroy him. He felt tears streaming down his face, he couldn't stop it.

When Arthur gathered his breath, he turned to face Merlin, and all he could see was the back of Merlin, trembling like a leaf. Arthur moved over and wrapped himself around Merlin, peppering sweet kisses over his neck. He saw the tears and he paused, moving back far enough to turn Merlin around to be facing him in his arms. "Merlin…Merlin, what, what's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"

Merlin kept his eyes closed. "I…no, Arthur, you didn't do anything wrong."

Arthur put a hand softly on Merlin's cheek. "Then why won't you look at me? Please, Merlin, open your eyes. Look at me."

Merlin slowly opened his eyes, and saw that tears had started steadily falling down Arthur's cheeks as well. "I didn't mean to make you upset, I just, I shouldn't have done that."

"Was it not…was it not good?" Arthur asked softly.

Merlin shook his head. "It, it was too good." Merlin sighed sadly. "Hopefully what I've taught you will help you impress the one you like, I mean, I'm sorry. No, I have to go, okay? I'm sorry, prat."

Merlin tried to shimmy out of Arthur's grip, but Arthur held his sides tighter, keeping him in place. "Merlin, I-"

"You don't need to justify it," Merlin said carefully. "I'm your manservant and your closest friend and you trusted me to teach you this unattached and I didn't succeed because I can't just pretend this never happened and that I don't love you, prat." Merlin felt more tears run down his cheeks, he didn't care anymore. "Please, just let me go with whatever dignity I have left."

"Merlin," Arthur whispered, leaning forward and kissing Merlin's lips once softly. He pulled away, and held onto Merlin tightly. "Please, don't, don't leave. I love you too, I just didn't know how to tell you and Gwen has been trying to help me figure out how to say it for months and I'm so sorry."

"You prat," Merlin said, tears flooding his eyes. "You can't."

"I very well can," Arthur said indignantly, now peppering kisses over Merlin's neck again.

"You…you don't know everything about me, Arthur," Merlin said cautiously.

Arthur lifted his head to look back at Merlin. "There is nothing you could tell me that would change a thing, idiot."

"Nothing, are you sure?" Merlin said testing tone, a twinge of defiance echoing through as he continued. "What if it was something that defied the laws you hold dear?"

Arthur's face turned more serious. "Merlin, what could you possibly be hiding from me that would possibly be so-?"

"Arthur, shut up," Merlin demanded in a whisper. "I can't tell you. I won't tell you…I, should, maybe tell you."

Arthur sighed, putting his hands forward to hold his love's face in his hands. "Please," Arthur whispered. He started planting delicate kisses on Merlin's lips, his face, and his neck. "Please, I promise I won't do anything rash. Just tell me."

Merlin moaned softly under Arthur's ministrations. He sighed in defeat, and closed his eyes as not to be able to see Arthur's immediate reaction, and whispered. "I…I have magic, Arthur. I'm a sorcerer."

Arthur pulled back then, stopping his ministrations and moving away to be in a sitting position, staring down at Merlin in disbelief. Then, he chuckled. "You're joking. You are absolutely joking. You know, this was cute, back when you were trying to do it to save Gwen's life…but Merlin…"

Merlin's eyes snapped open, now growing to a less-than-cautious gold as to show his prince. "I'm not joking."

Arthur took a few deep breaths. He hadn't really suspected even. He'd always thought…but… "Merlin, how much else have you been hiding from me?"

"Nothing, really," Merlin said cautiously. "This is about the biggest secret anyone will get out of me."

"Did you," Arthur began, unsure. "Did you work on your own to become this?"

Merlin chuckled weakly, letting his eyes drift back to their normal shade as the conversation continued. "I would've never known to choose this for myself. It's completely natural, or at least that's how it's been explained to me. Oh, and my destiny is to protect you, by the way. That's another thing you might want to know."

Arthur laughed softly, lying back down across from Merlin, now becoming increasingly entranced instead of frightened. "So you're a good sorcerer? Funny, I've never heard of one like that. Oh, and the whole destiny thing, kind of means we're stuck together, huh?"

"You wouldn't, not with how bitter – nevermind, that's a story for a whole different day. And, I suppose it does. If that'd be okay with you, still," Merlin said softly.

Arthur smiled softly, reaching forward and pulling Merlin comfortably into his arms again. "I told you I'd still love you, did I not?"

Merlin grinned like mad. "Of course, Arthur."

"And you'll love me too, right? No matter what?" Arthur asked gently.

"No matter what," Merlin said softly, before they drifted off to sleep.

*A Few Months Later*

Morgana entered the throne room, eyes on Uther. "Arthur requires to speak with you," she states simply.

Uther looks rather annoyed by the idea. "I have a busy day ahead of me, it can wait."

"It's waited long enough, if you excuse my impatience," Morgana said harshly. "If you go against him on this, a whole table of knights and I will have vengeance waiting on their behalf."

"Their? I thought this was business of Arthur's. Please tell me he hasn't exacted another broad like the one before to ask his right to marry with," Uther said impatiently.

Arthur heard the conversation go on from outside the door, Merlin right beside him, their hands together. "You're sure about this?"

"Absolutely," Arthur said in a soft tone, reaching over to kiss Merlin's temple. "Like I said, we have a plan if he doesn't react properly. The knights will distract and we will leave Camelot."

"I still can't believe they agreed to that," Merlin said in disbelief. "Or that you did, frankly."

Arthur smiled. "When will you get it through your head, I'd do anything for you?"

"Never," Merlin said, earning his prince one last kiss before squeezing his hand, and proceeding inside.

At first, Uther didn't see it. He saw his son and his son's manservant. Then, he looked down to their locked hands, and fury struck his features. "He's just a servant boy! And he's…he's a man! You'll need to produce an heir! This is…this is…"

"Actually, father, he's more than just a servant boy," Arthur said carefully, looking at Merlin for a moment before addressing his father again. "He's the person I want to spend the rest of my life with. Oh, and he's a sorcerer. Like you claim there is none good of."

Uther couldn't look angrier. Morgana interjected at that moment, a big smile on her face. "Oh, and I'm a seer, by the way. Just thought we might as well put everything out in the open."

Uther looked towards the girl he considered his daughter incredulously. "But you're…you've always been such a good person."

"Just like Merlin has always been, you need to stop being so naïve to think all magic ends in the way it did for you," Morgana said assuredly.

Arthur shook it off momentarily, knowing they'd get to that later. "I know it's a lot to ask father, I really do. I know you've hated magic far too long. But, I will be inclined to mention to you, if you decline this union I leave with Merlin tonight to Ealdor."

"I will have you arrested!" Uther practically screamed, desperate to find something to assure his argument.

"How will you, father, when your entire guard of knights in Camelot has so graciously taken my side on this? You remember your duty, father, but you forget that the friendships and alliances of the round table now pertain more to me on a personal level. They care about me, and they love Merlin almost as much as I do. Unlike you, my happiness is their top priority," Arthur sighed, letting his head fall to lean on Merlin's shoulder. "It took me a long time to realize it was okay to put happiness in front of duty, and I understand that it might be a foreign concept to you as it was once to me, but that's okay."

Merlin smiled at his Arthur, happy that Arthur was finally taking a stand against his father for something he wanted. And a little happier that something he wanted was him.

Uther sat for a few moments, thinking it through. If he said no, he'd lose everything. His son, his heir, and upon his death the Pendragons would lose the kingdom. However, he was still angry. His wife had died to give an heir that could make more heirs for the kingdom to continue on in their name. "Even if I was to agree to this union, I could not excuse the fact that one day this kingdom will need another heir to take on after we have both passed."

Arthur stayed quiet, deliberating. Merlin cleared his throat, pulled away slowly from Arthur, and stepped closer to the throne. "King Uther, I know this may sound ridiculous and obscure to you. Especially since I am, after all, a man. But magic can do some strange things, as you may know in the smallest of ways, or so I've heard. When the time comes, as far or close from now as needed, an heir can be produced."

"Gaius wouldn't be so stupid as to help you," Uther said in a gentler tone than his usual. "He knows what can happen, with the balances of life and death and how easily that being tampered with can go wrong."Uther gets a bit choked up.

Arthur looks between them both incredulously. "What are you two talking about?"

Morgana answered him. "Your birth, Arthur, wasn't just any miracle. It was done by sorcery, by someone who claimed that they could help your mother conceive finally. In desperation, they had accepted, not knowing the cost. In the balance of nature, to use magic to do such a thing, the laws of the world had to be kept in order. To take a life one must give a life, to maintain the natural order of the world. It was-"

Arthur interrupted her. "Merlin, I'm not going to let you die!"

"I'm my own sorcerer, remember?" Merlin said jokingly. "And I'm a bit smarter than that, have bartered myself with the fates before, trying to save your arse. I know how the game is played, and it may require a bit of assistance, but I have a plan. Trust me, Arthur."

Arthur walked up to Merlin, then looked up to Uther. "Even if an heir is not conceived - and don't give me that look father – I want to stay with Merlin. The coming of an heir isn't something we need to discuss right now, what we need to be discussing is between Merlin and I. Will you or will you not condone this union?"

Uther was puzzled. He felt deep in his gut that this was wrong, but in his heart all he could see was the first real smile his son had worn for years as he stood beside his partner. And, for the first time in years, he followed his heart instead of his wits. "I will. However, we might need to make amends to the laws against sorcery altogether." He stood up, reaching out his hand to Morgana. "Would you like to assist me in forming a new proclamation?"

Morgana grinned, taking his hand and standing strong beside the man that was now to be like her father. "I would love to. Merlin, Arthur, why don't you visit Ealdor anyhow? Take a few days, talk to that wonderful mother of Merlin's. By the time you get back, things will be ready for you two."

The two boys smiled, taking each other's hands again and running eagerly towards a new age in their life.

*Years Later*

Uther had died shortly after Merlin and Arthur's wedding, happy that the last thing he would do for the kingdom would have a lasting positive effect. Merlin and Arthur ran the kingdom happily, a pair of dubious kings. Arthur would fight wars and Merlin would use his magic to help people. Both of them made a significantly lasting impression on the townspeople.

It took a few years after Uther's demise for Merlin to bring up the idea of an heir again. Arthur was completely unmoving, claiming he would do nothing to hurt his love.

Merlin sighed. "You haven't even let me tell you my plan?"

Arthur sat at his desk, head in his hands, shaking. "Fine, Merlin, tell me if you must."

"Well, the laws of nature are quite specific. They require a female to conceive, that is the way. However, for there to be a female there has to be another male to counteract as to keep the gender balance in population," Merlin began. "I've spoken to Morgana, and she'd be willing to switch just long enough with me for the time I would take to conceive and birth an heir. It shouldn't cause me death, and it's not trading of lives other than the temporary gender-swap between Morgana and me."

"Not that I don't love you to death, but you do realize how ridiculous this sounds?" Arthur said hoarsely. "I'm not willing to risk it." Arthur said firmly, and rose from his chair, coming up to Merlin and wrapping his arms around his torso. "And, I'm quite attached to you as a male, thank you very much."

Merlin chuckled. "It'd only be temporary, and the only real risk is you being less accepting of a female form of me."

"It won't last after the birthing?" Arthur said unsurely. "And there's no chance you or Morgana would be hurt?"

"I swear it, I wouldn't even suggest this if I thought in any way it would mean losing you," Merlin said softly, placing a tender kiss on the other king's lips. "I just think it's the right thing to do, for Camelot."

"But us, parents, I don't know if we are ready for that either," Arthur asked unsurely.

"We could be, I mean, we can do anything," Merlin said sweetly. "Look at what we've achieved already, so many huge things. I think we can manage one lousy child."

"If something bad comes of this, I will never forgive you," Arthur says half-seriously and half-humorously.

"Don't worry, if all comes to worse, I'll just have to teach you," Merlin said, winking.

Arthur chuckled at the memory, and they descended into bed, for the last time as husband and husband for a long time.

*Approximately Ten Months Later*

"Merlin, come on out here," Arthur said quickly. "We have to go to Gaius. He'll know how to help you."

"I look stupid, and fat, and I'm still a girl. It's been over nine stupid months, where the hell is this baby?" Merlin said hastily, walking out of the bathroom, wearing one of the bigger dresses that Gwen and Morgana had fashioned for him (who was temporarily a her) as she held a miserable look on her face.

Arthur chuckled. "I know you're still a girl, and you're not fat, and you'd look less stupid if you stopped trying to pull all your hair under a hat to keep looking like a boy. It doesn't work with the whole pregnancy thing."

Merlin groaned. "But you and I both like me better as a man, and I swear to God, it's been ridiculously hard to not have been able to top even once for this long."

Arthur busted out laughing. "Merlin, we haven't done anything since you've become pregnant. We decided to wait until after the baby, and after we were both back to normal, remember?"

Merlin nodded, murmuring under his breath as he went along. "Yeah, so easy for you to say, stupid fricken hormones and I can't do anything about them."

"Merlin, if it's really that bad," Arthur said cautiously.

Merlin shook his head indignantly, sighing. "If I can wait nine months, it can wait another week or so."

Arthur smiled. "That's the spirit. Now, come along, we need to figure out what's taking so long."

"Um…Arthur…this might be a bad time, but I think I need to get changed," Merlin said self-consciously.

Arthur rolled his eyes. "You look fine in what you are wearing, now let's go."

By the time they reached Gaius, Merlin was having terrible pains in her stomach and lower regions. "Can I have any pain medicine now?" Merlin whined. "I really could use something."

As it turned out, of course, Merlin was in labor. Perfect fricken timing, if you ask the young sorcerer. Arthur nearly had a panic attack, and he brought in Gwen and Morgan (Morgana, as she was a man at the time, had adopted that name) and they did most of the work as Gaius just kept mixing different pain sedatives for the birthing. It was done slowly, to Merlin's utter nasty surprise. But when the child was born, and Arthur brought it up to meet Merlin, he couldn't help but smile from ear to ear. Who, after the cord was cut, used an enchantment to bring himself back to normal.

"Merlin, we have a daughter," Arthur said gently, a bright smile on his face.

Merlin watched for a second, concerned. "That might have been because of the way I tipped the balance, and I knew that you were expecting-"

Arthur placed the child in Merlin's arms, leaning down to give his again-husband a soft kiss. "We have a daughter, Merlin. I couldn't be more stupidly happy."

"What do you want to name her? We never came up with a girl's name," Arthur said carefully. As a flush rose to Merlin's cheeks, Arthur realized Merlin already had an idea. "Or you did."

"I actually was thinking Aralynn. It may sound odd, it's just an idea," Merlin said quietly.

Arthur smiled, again kissing Merlin gently on the lips. "I love it. Aralynn Igraine Pendragon."

"I'm glad you like it," Merlin said gently, not even commenting on the middle name as it was completely acceptable to him. "So how much am I going to have to teach you?"

"Loads, everything," Arthur said, smirking. "Do you think you'd be up for that?"

"I think I could spare another lesson," Merlin said lovingly, thinking just how much a lesson for Arthur always goes so far in the long run, paving their little road to eternity.

Author's Note: I hope you liked the fic! Still in the early stages of learning to write these characters, which unfortunately do not belong solely to me. Boo. Let me know however you want what you thought of it! I enjoy feedback! Also, considering writing sequel to this called 'A Lesson for Mordred' or 'A Lesson for Aralynn', depending on how it goes. I'll only post the sequel if this one gets a big positive response. Which I hope it does, but it's up to you lovely readers! Thank you for reading my story and have a fantastic day!

Love, Auttzthoughtz