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It was twilight, and the flames were hot as they flickered with the gentle breeze. The beating of drums echoed through the clearing, and revelers moved around the bonfire as they danced joyfully.
Arthur, dressed in a simple robe and wearing a mask adorned with feathers from a crow, pushed through the thick brush of the forest. His catch was swung over his shoulder - heavy and dripping blood. He could see the tall flames of the bonfire not far in the distance. He could hear the music, the laughter and moans. He was close.
It was the eve of Beltane. And for the first time in many, many years the Druids were celebrating with the people of Camelot. The law on magic was in the process of being repealed, and as a show of faith, Arthur had reached out to the Druids and offered that they join together in their Beltane celebrations. The Druids had agreed, despite the fact that they remained slightly doubtful and tense.
So, Arthur had extended an olive branch - he and his knights would participate in the main Druidic hunting ritual, to show how serious he was about respecting and accepting Druidic customs and magic. He had not known at the time that it was actually a fertility ritual. In particular, a fertility ritual where the hunter who killed the selected animal would have to join with a Druid to please the Triple Goddess.
But, he had given his word. And he was not the type of king to go back on his word.
So, he had dressed as the Druids advised, and entered the forest with his knights and several Druids to hunt down a large elk, marked with a black spot.
That elk was now swung over his shoulder.
The music was getting louder, and another push through the thick trees revealed the clearing where the festivities were taking place. Arthur took a deep breath, the smoky scent of burning wood infiltrating his senses. There were Druids and folk from Camelot dancing and laughing together. Food and drink was passed around and enjoyed. Some others joined together sensually, with the sexual energy tense in the air.
Arthur could feel the blood rushing to his cheeks, and he hesitated for a moment. He shook his head. No. He would not shy away.
He walked forward confidently, heading straight to Iseldir. The Druid Chieftain was sitting not far from the fire, surrounded by several others. They had already noticed his presence, and were all watching him as he approached.
Once he reached them, Arthur slung the elk over his shoulder and dropped it on the ground. He could feel the sticky wet patch of blood on his shoulder, but he tried not to grimace.
Iseldir glanced at the elk, confirming that it bore the black spot, then looked up at Arthur and smiled. He stood, grasped his staff and motioned for Arthur to follow him.
Once they were secluded, but not too far from the festivities, Iseldir stopped and turned to face the king.
“A most splendid hunt, Arthur Pendragon,” Iseldir said. Arthur blinked, surprised that Iseldir knew who he was. The whole point of wearing simple robes and a mask was so that all hunters were seen as equals. Merlin had made the crow mask for him the day before - and thus was the only one who should be able to recognise it. Alas, Merlin had excused himself from the festivities with some ridiculous excuse about studying up on some rare herbs for Gaius.
“Am I that easily recognised?” Arthur asked.
Iseldir shook his head. “No. I simply know what to look for.”
“Right,” Arthur huffed, not entirely convinced.
Iseldir smiled. “The Goddess shall be most pleased with the sacrifice. But, the ritual is not yet complete.”
An odd sensation settled in Arthur’s throat. He bit his lip. “Ah, yes.”
Iseldir’s expression shifted. “It is never forced upon the unwilling, Arthur Pendragon. You simply have to say the word and it stops.”
Arthur shook his head. “No, I swore an oath to participate tonight. I want to reconcile our people, and to do so I wish to learn.”
Iseldir smiled. “I am pleased to hear you say that. Tonight will be special and the start of a new age.”
Arthur raised an eyebrow. “How so?”
A flash of mischief danced across Iseldir’s face, but it quickly faded and his kind smile returned. “It so happens that the Druid who volunteered for tonight is... Emrys .”
“Emrys?” Arthur echoed, a frown settling on his face. “Who is that?”
“Emrys is prophesied to stand by your side as you unite Albion and usher in an era of peace and prosperity as the Once and Future King. It is only by the grace of the Goddess that you two should be the participants tonight.”
Ah. Arthur had heard of the prophecy. Whispers of it had started to echo through the court once negotiations regarding the magic laws began. Honestly, Arthur was not sure whether he believed it, but he was not going to argue with the Druids regarding their beliefs.
“Well,” Arthur sighed. “Point me to where I must go.”
Iseldir laughed. “Relax, Arthur Pendragon. Have a drink. Join the dancing. Emrys shall find you when it is time.
With that, the Druid Chieftain spun around and walked away, leaving Arthur with his torrid emotions. A part of him was excited, another nervous. This was very foreign territory for him, but his curiosity would not allow him to run away.
A woman dressed in minimal clothing with paint splattered and swirling all over her exposed skin, approached Arthur and handed him a cup. Her mask was that of an owl, white and grey, and she smiled brightly at him before moving towards the bonfire.
Arthur looked down at the cup in his hand, but could not discern what the liquid was. Shrugging, he took a sip. It was sweet, like honey, with a touch of lavender. Definitely drinkable. He downed the drink, and then blended in with the revelers, letting men and women alike pull him in for a twirl as they danced.
The other hunters started to return, none of them delivering the prized elk, as Arthur had been the victor. But they each had something, and Iseldir accepted them all graciously. Once their sacrifice was delivered, the hunters also joined the festivities. More of the drink was passed, and the music picked up in tempo. There was more laughter, loud and joyous, and more people broke off in pairs or threes to lie down on the dewy grass. Bodies were pressed together, hands caressed sweaty skin, kisses were exchanged, moans filled the clearing. The air became charged with something electric and powerful.
Arthur felt like he was floating. The alcohol had warmed him, and his skin was on fire as he danced and laughed. The sky was black now, dotted with bright stars. The celebration was in full swing.
He had expected the Druids to make a spectacle of the ritual. Perhaps have Emrys ride in on a unicorn or something. Nothing like that occured, though. He had been entwined with a woman, their hips moving together to the music when a man wearing nothing but a pair of white trousers, a peacock mask and several strings of beads around his neck, slipped behind the woman and grasped her hips. She hummed and glanced behind her.
“Emrys,” she whispered, and broke into a smile. Emrys leaned close and whispered something in her ear, then brushed his nose against the shell of her ear before giving her a playful nip. She giggled. Arthur could do nothing but watch, his throat dry, as Emrys planted soft kisses on the woman’s throat.
As his lips moved across the woman’s skin, Emrys looked up at Arthur, his gaze piercing and deep blue. A strange sense of familiarity washed over the king of Camelot, but he brushed it aside. For a moment it looked like Emrys’ eyes widened, as if surprised, but it quickly faded.
A man with a tray of drinks swept past, and the woman quickly grabbed a cup, not at all perturbed by the two men who were wrapped around her. She grasped the cup with both hands and her eyes flashed gold, causing steam to rise from the cup. Arthur tensed momentarily, shocked by her blatant display of magic, but he quickly quashed it. He was here to celebrate magic, not fear or persecute it.
Emrys had stopped his ministrations, and now watched intently as the woman raised the cup towards Arthur.
Arthur took it wordlessly, and with encouragement in the form of a nod from the woman, took a sip of the drink. It was warm, still sweet, but it tasted different from the other drinks he had been ingesting throughout the evening. It was also somehow spicy, with a hint of cloves and maybe even turmeric.
If Arthur was warm before, he was now blazing hot. Heat pooled in his belly as he handed the cup back, and he could feel a twitch in his breeches. The woman smiled and handed the cup to Emrys, who also took a sip, his intense gaze never leaving Arthur. Arthur swallowed thickly, and shifted uncomfortably as he felt himself harden.
What on earth was in that drink?
The woman took the cup from Emrys, and then gracefully bent her knees and slipped out from in between the two male bodies that had been caging her. She smiled at them again, bowed her head slightly, and then sauntered away. The two men watched her go, both fondly eyeing her ass, before they turned to look at each other.
They stared at each other, the world seeming to fade away around them. Arthur could feel his heart beat increasing, and hear his blood rushing in his ears. His vision darkened and the tension in his muscles faded. All he could think about was the man before him, and how desperately he wanted to touch him.
Emrys seemed to feel the same, for he stepped into the space the woman had vacated and grasped Arthur’s arms. He took Arthur’s hand and spun him around, pulling him lush against him. Arthur groaned when Emrys’ hard cock grinded against his backside.
Emrys moved with the music, a nose brushed against Arthur’s cheek, hands moved down from his arms to his waist and hips, sizzling heat following every touch.
Their hips moved together, and Emrys moved to plant light kisses on Arthur’s neck. The king groaned again, and tilted his head to the side. An appreciative hum came from Emrys, who quickly nipped at the newly exposed flesh. His hands gripped Arthur’s hips tightly, before one wandered down even further and brushed over Arthur’s erection.
Arthur bucked as he moaned, and flailed as he tried to grasp onto something. Finally he managed to grab Emrys’ silky hair, and when he tugged the man groaned. Emrys pressed down on Arthur’s erection, causing a shock to reverberate through Arthur’s spine and his knees to buckle. Emrys managed to hold Arthur’s weight, preventing him from collapsing on his knees. Arthur could feel his cheeks grow even hotter than they already were - if it weren’t for the mask and the darkness, everyone would probably see how flushed he was.
He exhaled loudly. “Perhaps we should find a secluded spot?”
He could feel Emrys’ slight hesitation, and a small flicker of doubt arose at the back of his mind. Iseldir had said that they did not need to do anything - was Emrys having second thoughts?
“Okay,” Emrys whispered after a few moments of tense silence. Arthur sagged in relief, not even having realised he had grown tense. He tried to push away the small nagging thought that Emrys’ voice sounded somewhat familiar.
Arthur let go of Emrys’ hair and used the same hand to grasp the sorcerer’s calloused fingers. He then started to head away from the bonfire, towards the trees. He could see some torches in the distance - hopefully there would be a lit area with less people around.
They passed several entangled groups, and Arthur could have sworn one couple looked eerily like Percival and Gwaine - he could not be certain though, as they were both masked. But, not many men rivaled Percival in size. He smiled at the thought of the two finally doing something about the obvious feelings they had for each other.
They reached the edge of the clearing, and Arthur quickly pulled Emrys through the trees. There was a smaller clearing ahead, with a wooden table, blankets and torches. Clearly a resting area for the revelers away from the fire. Once they reached it, Arthur turned and pulled Emrys down with him on one of the blankets.
Emrys landed between his spread legs, and the heat that had surged between them earlier, but had diminished slightly, returned in blazes. Arthur grasped Emrys’ arms and laid back, forcing the sorcerer to straddle him.
Their eyes met.
This close, Arthur could see the pink flush on Emrys’ cheeks just below his mask. He could feel the sorcerer’s hardness, the up and down of his chest as he breathed heavily.
“I should warn you,” Emrys whispered, his breath tickling Arthur’s cheek. “I might lose control of my magic.”
Arthur blinked, not fully comprehending what Emrys meant. “What?”
A twinkle appeared in the sorcerer’s blue eyes. “It’s the eve of Beltane. Magic is much more powerful tonight. So, I might lose control. Just don’t freak out if something happens.”
Arthur hummed and wrapped his arms around Emrys’ neck. “Just shut up and kiss me.”
Honestly, by this point, Arthur did not give a fuck that the man above him was a sorcerer or that he might make something happen with his magic. He just wanted the heat coiling in his belly to be sated.
Emrys laughed and obeyed. Their lips melded together, and sparks exploded behind Arthur’s eyelids. Emrys’ lips were soft and warm, and he wasted no time to slip his tongue out and force Arthur to part his own.
Emrys tasted of cloves and honey. Arthur groaned as their tongues battled for dominance, and he bucked his hips with hopes to create some friction. Their hips ground together, and Arthur leisurely caressed Emrys’ back before settling his hands on his ass. He pulled him closer, and both men moaned as their clothed cocks rubbed together.
Emrys pulled away, causing Arthur to cry out in desperation at the loss of his lips. The sorcerer smirked, and quickly leaned back down to kiss Arthur’s nose, and then brush his lips across his cheeks and down his jaw. Each kiss sent sparks down Arthur’s spine, and the heat coiling in his belly was becoming an inferno. The kisses continued lower, down Arthur’s neck, until Emrys’ lips brushed against the gossamer robe Arthur was wearing. The sorcerer pulled away again, his eyes flashing gold.
A tearing sound echoed through the clearing. It was only when the cool evening breeze swept over his skin and puckered his nipples that Arthur realised Emrys had magically torn his robe in half. It should have unnerved him, but instead it simply aroused him even further.
The lips returned to his neck, then traveled down to his clavicle, where Emrys sucked harshly. Arthur tilted his head to the side to give the sorcerer more access. Once he was satisfied that the king of Camelot was marked as his, the sorcerer continued south, his lips now encasing a pebbled nipple and biting lightly. Arthur moaned again and moved his hands back up to grasp Emrys’ silky hair and tugged harshly. The sorcerer bucked in response, and the friction was enough to make Arthur shiver.
Emrys swapped to the other nipple, and moved one of his hands that he had been using to keep himself up to pinch the nipple he had just played with. Following this, his kisses continued further south, his warm tongue dipping into Arthur’s belly button before reaching its goal - Arthur’s breeches.
It almost felt like Arthur could not breathe. His skin was on fire, and as Emrys’ nosed his erection, he had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from screaming. He tugged on silky black strands as the sorcerer gripped the waistband of his breeches and pulled the garment down quickly.
Arthur’s cock sprung free, swollen and leaking precum. Blue eyes stared at it hungrily, before long calloused fingers reached out and gently stroked from the tip to the base. Arthur arched his back, hoping to encourage Emrys to touch him properly. Emrys obliged, wrapping his hand around the shaft and starting to move up and down in jerking motions.
Arthur could no longer hold back the noises. His mewls and moans echoed through the clearing, and his fingers pulled violently at Emrys’ hair. The sorcerer did not seem to mind - in fact, he grunted and leaned down to wrap his lips around the tip of Arthur’s cock. He swirled his tongue around the tip, before taking more of Arthur into his mouth. The king bucked and moaned loudly as the sorcerer sucked and jerked him off at the same time.
The world faded away again. There was nothing but the scorching heat, the sounds of their pleasure. The coil in his belly was tight, ready to snap and release. Arthur’s eyes rolled back into his head as his vision went white. He was so close.
And then the coil snapped. Arthur grunted loudly as he orgasmed, his hips jerking and then coming to a standstill as he spurted into Emrys’ waiting mouth.
A part of him wanted to sag into the blanket, to let the euphoria of his release wash over him and simply enjoy the moment. But, he knew Emrys was yet to come, and he definitely was going to do something about that.
Arthur grasped Emrys’ arms and with a surprising amount of strength pulled the man up. Surprise flashed in the sorcerer’s eyes, but he quickly recovered and leaned down, thinking Arthur wanted a kiss.
Arthur, however, had other plans.
He moved his arms to the sorcerer’s waist and hauled him up even further. Emrys gasped as he stumbled, but quickly moved so his knees landed on each side of Arthur’s head, rather than knocking him in the face. He watched, pupils dilated as Arthur practically ripped his trousers down to release his hard and leaking cock. Arthur took a moment to admire the beautiful cock above him, then grasped Emrys’ arse cheeks and pulled him down.
Emrys’ breath hitched when Arthur’s hot mouth enveloped his cock. The shockwave that shot from his lower spine all the way up to his neck sent him reeling, and he fell forward. He quickly cushioned his fall with his elbows, and looked down to make sure he was not smothering Arthur.
The sight of his cock disappearing into the king of Camelot’s mouth was almost enough to make him come right then and there.
Arthur’s tongue swirled around the tip, and then he licked the base of Emrys’ cock. The sorcerer bucked, and with a loud moan his head flopped down to rest on the ground. He could feel a hot rush go through his veins - a telltale sign his magic was reacting to his pleasure. His skin also felt tingly, the magic of nature around them swirling around them and building to a crescendo.
“Ah ah,” he moaned as Arthur took him deeper. “ Fuck, Arthur .”
Both men froze.
For a moment, there was a thick tense silence between them, and then Arthur relaxed and continued what he was doing, his pace now even more diligent.
Emrys, or rather, Merlin, still tense, relaxed and let the sensations overwhelm him. He keened as his orgasm overtook him, and without realising it he chanted Arthur’s name as he rode out his pleasure.
The magic in the air exploded. The torches flickered, and a bright light filled the clearing. The trees groaned with the men, and lush flowers of multiple colours spurted from the ground all around them.
Merlin nearly collapsed once he came down from his high, but he quickly rolled over and shifted so that he lay down next to Arthur. His heart was pounding dangerously in his ribcage, his breathing was laboured, and he could hear his blood rushing in his ears. He nervously glanced to his side.
Arthur looked thoroughly debauched. His mask was askew, his robe still torn and his breeches bunched around his ankles. His blonde hair was a wild mess and he too was breathing raggedly.
He had never looked more beautiful.
Merlin swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat and looked up at the dark sky. Arthur knew now. He had been meaning to tell him the truth, ever since the talks of repealing the magic ban began, but Merlin had just never found that the time was right. And when Arthur invited him to the Druid Beltane Festival, he had made up a flimsy excuse for why he could not attend. Of course, he knew he would attend, as Emrys and not Merlin. He knew Arthur would participate in the hunt, could possibly be the victor, but he had convinced himself that there was no way Arthur would succeed.
What an idiot he was.
He had recognised Arthur by the bonfire, when he had slipped behind the woman dancing with him. The crow mask was distinctive - Merlin had made it, after all. For a moment he had considered pulling out of the ritual, but a deep and dark part of him, the part that desperately yearned for Arthur’s touch, had surfaced and made him go through with it.
And then he had gone and revealed himself amidst their intense passion.
He was a fool.
Arthur probably hated him. He would not blame the king if he did. But, the thought still tore him asunder.
He loved Arthur.
Merlin closed his eyes and sighed heavily. The silence was tense, and he feared what Arthur’s next words would be. His face pinched as he anxiously awaited Arthur’s judgement.
Merlin nearly jumped out of his skin when fingertips lightly brushed over the palm of his hand, and then laced with his.
“Idiot,” Arthur muttered. “You are a real, big, stupid idiot with a stupid beautiful smile and stupid ears. Honestly, you are an idiot and the worst servant ever .”
Merlin’s eyes popped open, and he turned his head to look at Arthur, his eyes wide. The king was not looking at him, but there was a smile on his face. Hope bloomed in Merlin’s chest and he squeezed Arthur’s fingers.
“You’re not mad?” he whispered.
Arthur turned to look at him. “Oh, I’m furious. I’m of a mind to put you in the stocks for a month, but I’ll deal with that later. Right now…”
Arthur trailed off and his gaze softened. He lifted himself to his elbows, then pulled the mask off his face and tossed it aside. He scooted closer to Merlin and rolled onto his side so that he could lean down and plant a scorching kiss on the warlock’s lips. When he pulled away, Merlin was nearly blinded by his warm smile.
The king hummed and brushed his fingers over Merlin’s mask before slipping his fingers underneath and pulling it off. His smile brightened when he could finally see Merlin’s familiar features properly. He cupped Merlin’s cheek and leaned down to rest their foreheads together.
“You are lucky I love you, idiot ,” Arthur whispered.
Tears pricked in the corners of Merlin’s eyes, warm joy spreading through him. “I love you, too.”
A kiss. “Good.” Another kiss.
Arthur pulled back, looked around them, then back down at Merlin and smirked. “Lose control?”
Merlin blushed. “Well, I did warn you.”
Arthur laughed and slipped his hand caressing Merlin’s cheek down so he could cup the warlock’s neck. He planted another lingering kiss on the younger man’s lips.
“You are amazing,” he whispered against Merlin’s lips. “I expect a thorough explanation later.”
Merlin nodded dazedly. “Not now?”
Arthur snorted and ground his hips against Merlin’s leg. Merlin inhaled sharply when he felt Arthur’s hard cock against his thigh.
“Not now,” Arthur whispered seductively before claiming Merlin’s lips once more.