A/N: After watching episodes 12 and 13 I wondered what would have been going through the minds of Uther and Arthur just after episode 12 finished, so I decided to write about it. I mainly focused on Arthur's perspective, but there's a bit of Uther in it as well.
Long Live…Queen Morgana?
Arthur couldn't quite believe it. Surely this wasn't happening? How could Morgana be his sister? Since when had she been in alliance with Morgause, a sorcerer of all people? What reason would she have to?
As he gazed down upon the throne room, Arthur didn't know what to think, he was confused and felt betrayed, by his friend – there was no way that he could think of her as a sister, yes, they were close, but this sudden revelation meant nothing to him. Anger filled his heart, to see his father's 'daughter' take apart everything he had lived for, Camelot, peace and family.
"How is this possible?" Arthur whispered to Merlin.
Merlin was unsure of what to say, especially with both Morgause and Morgana as close as they were; there was the possibility that they might hear anything he said, and that probably wasn't the best thing to happen.
Below them Uther began to sob. He crumbled to the ground at Morgana's feet. Uther was heart-broken, his daughter had betrayed him, his kingdom was falling to those he sought to keep it from and above all and he felt like he had failed everyone of his citizens, but mostly, he thought he had failed Arthur.
The room was still, you could have cut the tension with a knife. The silence was a heavy blanket over the scene, no-one dared to speak.
Thoughts circulated in Arthur's head. Anger built up inside him and he found it almost impossible to keep his presence hidden, even though he would await the same fate as his father below him if he didn't.
"Arthur," Merlin whispered, breaking the swirling thoughts in the Prince's brain, "Arthur, we need to get you away from here. There's nothing you can do for your father until you find somewhere away from Morgana and Morgause where you're not threatened."
Arthur didn't seem to be listening. Instead, he was just staring at the furthest wall from him.
Merlin nudged the Prince's arm and began to worry, "Arthur, please. You must listen to me. We can free your father, we can free Camelot, but we need to get away from here first!"
Arthur nodded slowly and thought carefully about how to answer.
After a few minutes Arthur's whisper broke the empty silence between them. "As soon as we know we won't get caught, find Gaius and tell him to gather only essentials and head for the Darkling Woods, then head to my chambers, if you can and grab an extra sword or two. I'll meet you in the Darkling Woods, look for some caves hidden amongst the trees, it's not very big, but it'll have to do."
Merlin was about to ask how Arthur knew about the caves, but this was neither the time nor the place, and so he nodded and waited for his signal to move.
It might have been seconds, minutes or hours but Merlin couldn't tell. Morgana ordered for Uther - or "the prisoner" as she referred to him as – to be returned to the dungeons, and the room emptied.
"Go!" Arthur told Merlin in a harsh whisper, "I'll expect to see you within half an hour!"
Merlin said nothing but acknowledged the Prince's order by following it without delay – time was already running short.
