(Merlin's POV)

 "Well you should probably go tell Gaius. Meet me in my chambers in two hours." 

 "Wait. Where are your chambers?"

 "Right. New. Ask one of the guards and tell him that I sent for you." I nodded and watched as he walked away. I didn't know whether being Arthur's servant was going to be a good thing or not.

 I just wasn't able to decide if it was better or not. I mean on the plus side I wasn't going to be killed. On the negative side I had a higher chance of being killed because I would be closer to the King who hated magic. Then there was the issue with what I may feel towards Arthur. Being this close to him was something I couldn't decide was a plus or not.

 I realized that I was still standing around the dungeon doors and the guards were staring at me as well as shifting. I think I was making them uncomfortable. I apologized and left in a flash so as not to keep them from doing their duties. I chuckled as I made my way through the halls.

 My thoughts were once again drawn back to Arthur. It wasn't fair. He was just practicing and he looked like he had just just stepped out from a dance. He was so tall and perfect and it just wasn't fair.

I wasn't paying attention as I walked and I found myself bumping into someone. "I'm so sorry." I whispered as I helped her pick up the basket. She had beautiful curly brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. 

"It's fine really."

"I'm Merlin." I said sticking out my hand.

"Guinevere."

"Nice to meet you."

"You as well. I better run though. Before my Mistress gets upset."

"Sorry again." I called after her as she ran off towards her Mistress' chambers. I tried not to think about Arthur seeing as it caused a huge distraction. I finally arrived at Gaius' chambers and walked in, frowning when I realized he wasn't home.

I quickly bathed to rid the pebbles and dirt from my body and grabbed another outfit so that I didn't look like a total slob when I arrived at Arthur's chambers. I didn't know why I was so worked up about my appearance though. I mean it's one thing to look nice since he's Prince and all but I didn't need to be this worked up about it.

When I finally let the water from the tub and changed, I found Gaius out and about. He seemed to be working on another potion for another patient. "Gaius may I speak with you a moment?"

He looked up from his book and told me to wait a moment before finishing his potion. He quickly bottled it. Then he sat down at the table and waited for me to join him before asking what was going on.

"Well after I had finished delivering your potions I was walking along and found Arthur being rude to his servant. I knew he was the Prince but I was still being a prat. He had me locked up for it and I worried what was going to happen. He gave me a proposal."

"Well that's never good. What did he propose?"

"I either rot in the cell or become his servant."

"Which did you choose?" I just sat there and stared at him for a moment, waiting for him to realize that I was actually speaking to him in person not behind bars. "Right. Well you better get going then." he chuckled after realizing what he had just asked.

I smiled and got up, preparing to leave. "Merlin?" I waited. "Why did you bathe and change before heading over there?"

"Because I had just gotten thrown in a cell. I stank and was covered in dirt. You shouldn't appear like that to a Prince."

 "Okay then." he said with a glint in his eye. There was something there that I couldn't quite place but I didn't have the time for it. I had to be there soon. I headed out the door and walked over to the first guard that I spotted.

"Excuse me... could you show me to Prince Arthur's chambers?"

"Why do you need to see him?"

"He sent for me earlier but I now realized that I'm new and don't know where his chambers are."

"Why to his chambers?" the guard asked suspiciously.

"Because he is my new servant." Arthur said appearing out of absolutely nowhere. The guard immediately went back to attention and Arthur grabbed my shoulders steering me away from the man.

He studied me before turning back to the road and letting go of my shoulders. "I was wondering why it was taking you so long to arrive."

"Sorry sir." I whispered.

"It's fine. Just try not to be late in the future."

"Yes, sir."

He showed me up to his chambers and I made sure to remember every turn so that I wouldn't get lost in the future. At last we arrived at his chambers and when he opened the door I got a big wiff of him.

My heart began beating quicker and I tried to calm myself down. I didn't have any clue how I could one minute be insulting him and the next be working for him every single day. It was a miracle really.  

"I'm going to grab an outfit and lie it on the bed. Go draw a hot bath." he said. I stared at him confused for a moment. I was expecting to do something simpler on the first day. He stared back at me as if waiting to see if I was going to actually do it. Then I realized that he actually mean it.

"Yes sire." I said backing out of the room. Then I grabbed a bucket and began bringing the pails of water up to the tub. Dumping the water in I made sure it was hot so that he would be happy. He emerged from behind the stall with just a towel wrapped around his waist and I couldn't help but stare at the flesh exposed before me.

He wasn't the most muscular person but what I saw didn't make me hate him any more. It was still quite a sight to see. I noticed I was staring and quickly turned away. "Is it warm?" I nodded and he got in the tub sighing as he relaxed.

(Arthur's POV)

When Merlin walked into the chambers I heard him sniff the air and I chuckled as he tried to hide the sigh that escaped his lips. He stopped and looked around thinking. I couldn't believe what had happened. My life had been flipped around in a matter of minutes and I hadn't even known the man. Now here he was, in my bed chambers, as my servant. 

It surprised me that I had decided to change my mind so suddenly but I didn't care. I had time to figure out whatever this was that I was feeling. I was happy to have everything that I had. Then suddenly this man I have never seen before strolls into town and is staying with Gaius.

He is handsome and on top of that he has balls. He was willing to take me on knowing that I was the Prince. I wasn't fooled, not once, when he asked me who he thought I was. I knew that he knew that I was a Prince. He was willing to stand up for my servant even though he hadn't known him one bit. 

I could tell he knew how to speak to convince people of things. He was also able to communicate his thoughts clearly. He stood up for what he believed was right and stuck to it. I could also tell by the way he handled certain things like the potions bottle in his hands and the way he walked as well as the way he looked, that he was skilled in a few things. I knew he lived in an outlying village whether it be one of Camelot or not, I didn't know. He knew how to take care of things and could get it done quickly. 

I had realized that was the kind of servant I needed. And on top of all of that I would get to spend time with him and figure out where I stood with him and how I felt about him. How I truly felt about him.

"I'm going to grab an outfit and lie it on the bed. Go draw a hot bath." I said. I watched as stood there. I don't think he realized that I actually meant it so to prove that I did indeed mean it, I stared back at him.

After a minute or so he realized that I truly had meant him to go do that. He turned and left to go draw a bath and I grabbed a towel and went behind the stall. I slowly stripped and wrapped my lower body in a towel before coming out. Once I did I had to hide my chuckle.

His eyes popped out of their sockets as they roamed over my top half. I allowed him to take it in. He will be seeing more of this after all, should he actually stay my servant. Finally I had had enough and asked him if the water was warm. Once he nodded I climbed into the tub and sighed as I relaxed. The whole day, the stress, the frustration, the excitement, all of it drained out into the tub and I was left with only thoughts that I wanted.

I recalled how my life had just changed recently. Had it really been sudden or had I been slowly changing all this time? I thought carefully about it but no matter how hard or how long I thought about it I kept coming to the conclusion that it was random.

I was the same. I always have been. I followed my father's rules. No magic. I was supposed to marry someone from another kingdom as a peace treaty. I was supposed to do everything that he wanted me to do with the servant that he had chosen for me but then as a man was about to be killed I spotted a gorgeous young man.

All the beliefs I had flew out the window. I didn't want to marry whoever my father wanted me to. I didn't want to kill people because they practiced magic unless they deserved it. I didn't want to have the servant that I had and it was all because of that man I saw. I didn't know what it was about him there was just something that made me want to disagree with my father.

Then said man made fun of me knowing full well that he would get in trouble. He stuck up for some random boy. He fought for what he thought was right. He accepted the consequences. He managed to get me to change my mind about having him killed or put in the stocks without actually  being there or saying anything. He hadn't done anything and yet somehow he changed my mind.

And now here we are, him roaming around my room to explore and figure out where everything was in case I needed it. And me sitting in the tub which was drawn amazingly, not too hot or too cold with just enough of everything needed, thinking about him. 

Finally I had gotten out of the tub having forgotten that he was actually in the room at the moment. Then I heard a squeak and blushed as I saw him cover his eyes. I quickly grabbed the towel and wrapped myself up, embarrassed that I had forgotten and  had let him see everything. I rushed behind the stall and quickly changed before telling him he could open his eyes. 

He was blushing and was bright red when I looked at him and I decided that he had enough for today so I sent him back to Gaius' house with a warning. "You better not breathe a word of this to anyone or I swear that will be the end of you."

He nodded quickly before rushing out the door, the blush still tinting his features.