Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.
I've had this idea running round my head for a while. So I just let my fingers type type type away.
King Uther looked around at the devastation that had been caused, that he and his men were too late to stop. They had ridden hard after receiving the report of a band of men that were roaming the countryside. They had been attacking outposts and travellers and the King knew that they had to be stopped before they grew bolder and attacked one of the outlying villages.
The King and the Knights of Camelot had driven off and killed the majority of the group. Those that had not been killed in the initial fight would be taken back to Camelot and executed there. But it had not been in time to save the small village they had attacked.
There were fires burning, people's homes and livelihoods had been destroyed. Not that they would need them now. Every single member of the village, be they man, woman or child had been killed, violently and without mercy.
The King had seen a newborn babe and a young boy of about the same age as his own son cut down, lives ended, meaninglessly.
"Sire!" He turned to one of the Knights running over to him. "My Lord, there is one still alive."
"There's someone alive?" He asked, following the knight to the small house he had come out of.
"Barely, sire. She's not long for this world." His tone was grave as he stood to the side of the door so the king could pass through.
Uther stopped as he walked into the house. He saw Sir Graeme leaning over a young woman, his hands covered in blood the king could only assume was hers.
"My Lord," he stood and the king nodded for him to carry on what he was doing. Sir Graeme was a young knight in his early twenties, he was skilled with a sword and he was one of the knights of Camelot that had basic training in healing. While there was clearly nothing that could be done for the woman, he could see the knight was attempting to make her more comfortable in her last moments.
"Sire," he looked back to her as the whispered word reached his ears. "My Lord." Uther nodded to Sir Graeme who moved away from the woman so the King could sit. It was clear that she had something she wanted to say to him. "Please. My son." She winced in pain and without thinking, he took her hand, trying to offer a small measure of comfort. She was one of Camelot's citizens after all. One of the people he had sworn to protect. And one that he had failed. "Please," she glanced over towards a barrel tucked away in the corner of the small house before looking back at the king, her gaze pleading, "I know I have no right to ask anything of you, sire, but . . . please see that he is taken care of by someone kind. By someone who will care for him as though he were their own. Someone that will see he wants for nothing." Uther sat there, dumfounded, unable to do anything but nod as this young woman, clearly knowing that she was going to die, was requesting that the king make sure her son were looked after.
Just from the pleading in her eyes and voice, he would find someone that would care for the boy. Who would leave him wanting for nothing.
She nodded, a small smile on her face upon the knowledge that the little boy she had given life to would be cared for when she were gone. Uther sucked in a breath as she stilled, her breath leaving her as her hand became limp in his own. He let it out, blinking as he realised that she had gone. He didn't know why he was affected this way but something about the woman had, in those mere moments, touched his heart. She reminded him so much of his dear Ygraine before she died. He knew that he would carry out her request.
Ignoring the knights as they watched him, he stood up, walking over to the barrel she had indicated held her son. He carefully lifted the lid and peered inside.
Looking back up at him was a young boy, no more than five summers old, a mop of black hair on his head. He looked up at the king with wide bright blue eyes that seemed far too big for his small head. He looked up at the large man, his eyes filled with fear and the king could see that he was shaking. No doubt his mother had put him in there to hide him as soon as she knew that there was going to be trouble but that wouldn't have stopped him from hearing the devastation around him.
Uther reached down to pick him up and the young man started away from him, letting out a small whimper. "It's alright," he said softly and the boy peered up at him again, his bright eyes shimmering with unshed tears. He looked to his knights and then over to the body of the boy's mother. He noticed some material hanging from the ceiling and guessed that that was to section off their sleeping area during the night. He nodded for one of the men to close the curtain so that the boy would not have to bear witness to the fate that had befallen his mother. "It's alright," he said again, turning back to the boy. "You're safe now."
"Are the bad men gone?" The voice that came from the boy was quiet and fearful and the words reached Uther's heart in the same way his mother's had done.
"Yes, my boy, the bad men are all gone." He smiled down at the boy. "It's safe for you to come out now." He reached down into the barrel again and this time the boy allowed him to pick him up. He was a slight child, small for his age and extremely light as Uther set him on the ground. He gestured for the knights to leave as he noticed the boy staring at their swords, his eyes filled with fear. "They're not going to hurt you." Uther said softly as the men left, snapping the boy's attention back to him. "What's your name?"
"M-Merlin." He looked around the house and his eyes fell on the curtain that had been drawn, his brow furrowing, possibly confused as to why it was closed. "Where's mother?" He turned back to the king and he took in a deep breath, knowing from experience with Arthur that explaining to a small child that their mother is dead was not an easy thing. As if sensing the king's inner turmoil, he answered his own question. "Mother's gone to be with Father, hasn't she?" Uther paused, coming to the conclusion that the boy's father had also perished sometime before if he knew that he was already dead. "It's okay." He nodded to himself. "I know she missed him. They can be together now."
Uther marvelled at the adult like way this small child was dealing with the death of his mother. It was most likely that he didn't truly understand yet but Uther felt his heart clench at the thought of this boy who had no one in the world.
"Where am I going to go?" He asked the king, questioning in his eyes. He had no one. No other family to call his own. Uther had promised his mother that he would ensure that the boy was taken care of. That he would want for nothing and he intended to keep it.
"How would you like to come to Camelot with me?" He asked and Merlin's eyes widened at the offer.
"To Camelot?" He whispered and Uther nodded, feeling a smile spread across his face as the boy nodded, clearly excited at the thought of seeing the great city.
Uther stood up, grasping the young boy under each armpit and picking him up, settling him on his hip as he used to do with Arthur when he was younger. The boy showed no nervousness or fear at the thought of leaving his home.
"My Lord," the knights bowed as Uther emerged, glancing at each other as they saw the boy settled on the king's hip. "There were no others left alive."
"Then the boy is the only survivor," he concluded as he approached his horse. "I want a dozen of you to stay behind, to give these people the burials they deserve. The boy will be coming back to Camelot."
"Sire," the knights nodded, separating themselves out into those who would be staying to carry out the kings orders and who would be accompanying him back to the citadel.
Uther turned to pass Merlin to Sir Graeme but the boy clung to him, obviously feeling some sense of security with the king. "It's alright." He soothed, looking down at the boy. "I need to get onto my horse. It'll only be for a moment and then you can join me, alright?" He looked between the king and the knight before nodding slowly and allowing himself to be passed over to the knight.
Sir Graeme took the boy, marvelling at the king's behaviour. He hadn't seen him like that with anyone save his own son. Looking down at the child, there was an endearing sense about him and one couldn't help but be drawn to those wide, cerulean eyes. The king quickly climbed onto his horse before reaching down for the boy again. Merlin eagerly reached out to the man, allowing himself to be settled in front of him on the saddle. Because of the boy, their progress back to Camelot would be slower than it had been out but Uther paid the timing no mind.
The king couldn't help but smile to himself as the young boy settled into him, relaxing and before long, drifting off to sleep, clearly feeling safe enough to do so.
~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~
All eyes were drawn to the entourage that made its' way back through the gates of Camelot, the sea of red dispersing as the knights split off and Uther making his way closest to the castle as a waiting stable boy grasped his horse's reins. He flung himself off of his horse, landing deftly on the ground before he reached up and pulled Merlin off, once again, settling him on his hip. He pulled his cloak around so it covered the boy as he walked, not wanting to bring any undue attention to the child and possibly upset him. It had been a few days since they had started back from the village and there had been a few occasions where the all the boy wanted was his mother. Uther knew that it would take time for him to completely realise that she wasn't coming back but it didn't ease the pang that would rush through the King's chest at the boy's cries.
He left the knights and the servants to sort out what needed to be done to settle everything after their return. The King quickly made his way through the corridors of the castle, towards the quarters of the Court Physician, Gaius.
Pushing open the door, the man in question turned to look at him, a small frown on his face.
"Ah, sire," He put down the vial he was holding, approaching the king. "I trust everything went well."
"Not as I'd hoped." Uther muttered gravely, shaking his head. "By the time we got to the village, they'd already attacked." Gaius let out a sad sigh, his attention diverted by the slight movement under the king's cloak and the strange way he was holding himself. Uther moved the cloak off the boy and Gaius looked up at him, seeing the child in the king's arms. "This boy is the sole survivor of the attack. I want you to check him over, Gaius. Make sure that he's alright."
"Of course." Gaius reached out to take him from the king but as before, he shied away, pulling into the king. "It would appear that he's become attached to you, My Lord."
"So it would seem," Uther sighed, looking down at Merlin. "It's alright. Gaius is a friend. You're safe here." Merlin looked back over to the older man in front of him, seeing his friendly smile. Gaius had always had a soft spot for young children, always having a sweet candy or two in his pocked for those he had to treat. He reached out again, taking the child from Uther and sitting him on the table that wasn't covered in all of Gaius's scientific equipment. Gaius pulled a sweet candy out of his pocket, giving it to him. He immediately put it in his mouth and started to suck on it as Gaius began to look him over.
It didn't take long for Gaius to finish his examination of the boy before handing him back to Uther.
"Apart from being a little underweight, which isn't surprising when you think he only came from a small village, he is in perfect health." Gaius declared and Uther let out a sigh of relief, not noticing before how worried he had actually been that the child may be ill in some way.
"I am thankful."
"If you don't mind my asking, sire but, what are you going to do with him?" Gaius asked, handing the boy another sweet candy which he instantly took. Being from a peasant village, the boy wouldn't have had anything like that too often so Gaius didn't see the harm in indulging him for the moment.
"His mother was barely alive when the knights found her," Uther stated softly, looking at the boy in his arms. "She asked, no begged me to find a home for her son, someone that would care for him. Somewhere that he would want for nothing."
"Have you any families in mind, sire?" Gaius asked, reaching over and brushing the hair out of the boy's eyes.
"I do," Uther looked over at him, resolute. "Mine." Gaius blinked, shocked at the words. "I will take him on as my ward."
Let me know what you think.