This is just a one shot of a random drabble. Merlin tells Arthur about his powers on Arthur's crowning.
I don't own Merlin, or anything you recognize. Please read and review
"Long live King Arthur!" the Minister announced.
"Long live the King!" all of the citizens, knights, court members, everyone echoed, before all kneeling before their new King.
Arthur looked over the citizens of Camelot, a smile on his lips and eyes shining bright in anticipation, excitement and nerves. He nodded towards his loyal Knights respectively. He gazed over his citizens, the blacksmiths, dressmakers, physicians, cooks, servants, everyone and felt a thrill of pride as he realised that he was leading these people, these people who had survived everything and still followed him. He was their King. They were his people.
"People of Camelot, I promise to always be fair, just and honourable. I will always rule on behalf of you and do what is best for you as a people. My father was an honourable man who led us out of a dark age and kept us strong. I am not my father, I will not do what he would do, but I strive to rule just as well, if not better than he did in my rule."
Hours later, late into the night, after the festivals had finished, Arthur entered his new suite (he was King now) only to find his manservant, who hadn't shown up at all today, pulling the blankets down on his new bed. Everything of Arthur's had been moved over and set up around the room: clothes in drawers, armour on stands, his favourite painting hanging and even his pillow that he would never admit to being attached to was sitting on the bed.
"You weren't there." Arthur accused the servant.
Merlin jumped, spun around and immediately knelt on the ground, "Your Majesty," he murmured.
"Merlin?"
"Yes, your Majesty?" Merlin asked, keeping his gaze down and his voice meek.
"Merlin, you should act like this more often and then everything is definitely always going to go to my head." Arthur told the servant, not actually saying what he wanted to say.
"Sire?" Merlin asked, not even looking up.
"Merlin, please, I was relying on you not to treat me different now. I need you to keep me from getting too big a head." Arthur sighed, grabbing Merlin's arm and dragging him up off the floor.
Merlin didn't meet Arthur in the eye. "I don't think that is appropriate, sire." Merlin muttered, still looking down.
"Merlin, what the hell is bothering you?" Arthur demanded, placing his fingers under the boy's chin and lifting his head to look at him in the eyes.
"I have something to tell you. And I want you to promise you'll hear me out before deciding anything." Merlin said, his face uncharacteristically silent, calm and something that Arthur thought was fear made the boy's eyes an almost white-blue colour.
"I promise, what is it?"
"I'm a warlock." Merlin breathed, staring at Arthur so he didn't miss his reaction.
Arthur's fingers were still under his chin, keeping the servant's head up. He felt the boy swallow, but the King just stared at his servant. "Tell me this is a joke." Arthur whispered, "Tell me it's just a horrible, stupid prank that Gwaine or Leon roped you into."
Merlin shook his head, "I'm a warlock, it wasn't my choice, to start practicing magic, because I was born with it. I can't help it, I never had a say in the matter. I've always used my magic to save you, to protect you and Camelot."
Arthur lurched away from Merlin and collapsed onto a chair.
"Why, why are you telling me? Especially now?" Arthur demanded, all of a sudden. He pushed himself away from the chair and started pacing back and forth in front of Merlin.
"Why wouldn't I tell you?" Merlin asked, confused.
"You don't get it. I am the King, Merlin; I have to follow the laws and rules, out of everyone I am the last person to be put above the law. I have to report you and have you burned at the stake for using magic." Arthur growled, eyes wild with anger, directed at Merlin or himself, the servant wasn't sure. "I can't go behind my father's back, I am my father now!"
"No you aren't. You are not your father. Your father was a man who killed hundreds of innocents under the guise of purging Camelot from evil magic. You are Arthur, the King who risked his life to save a servant because that servant saved his life. The King who went out against his father's wishes to complete some test that was probably going to have him killed so that he could stop the suffering of his people." Merlin argued, know this moment was the moment that would decide Arthur's type of reign.
"Merlin, I can't just turn around and change a huge law like that and turn the entire city on its head." Arthur groaned. "I have to announce you as a warlock and punish you accordingly."
"So do that. Punish me accordingly. I have been nothing but loyal to you. You can't find anyone who would willingly believe I committed treason against you unless they actually saw me do it." Merlin challenged him. "Change the Law to say that if they are a magic-user they will be put to trial and punished for their crimes. So if they tried to kill you, they committed treason. If they healed a baby who was going to die, would you still want to burn them at the stake?"
"Since when did you get so smart?" Arthur asked, surprised at Merlin's surprisingly smart advice.
"I've always been smart, thank you very much." Merlin grinned at him.
Arthur grinned at him and said, "Sure you have, servant."
"Servant?" Merlin asked, acting hurt.
"OK, OK, sorry, my servant. Happy?" Arthur repeated, a huge grin on his face.
"Your servant. Why does being yours make it better?" Merlin asked, turning around to pull out Arthur's night clothes.
"You want to know why being the King's servant is good?" Arthur asked, raising an eyebrow in surprise. Merlin grinned at him before moving to undo his vest. "I can undress myself, you know?" Arthur protested, grabbing Merlin's hands and holding onto them so he stopped undressing him.
"But why would I leave my King to ruin his hands doing lowly jobs like untying laces and undressing himself?" Merlin asked,
"Your King?" Arthur asked, wondering when they had moved from calling Merlin his servant, to being called Merlin's King.
"Pfft, you know what I mean." Merlin scoffed dismissively.
"I could have you thrown in jail for that." Arthur said. He then realised he still held Merlin's hands in his own and he quickly dropped them. "So what can you do?" Arthur asked, undressing himself.
"Protect you." Merlin told him, handing the clothes to the King and taking his old clothes.
"You protecting me?" Arthur asked, a little disbelieving.
"I'll have you know that I have saved your life numerous times, each time someone else got the credit." Merlin grumbled.
"Sure, sure. Goodnight Merlin." Arthur said, climbing into his bed.
"Goodnight sire."
"Oh, an Merlin," Arthur stopped the servant just as he opened the door. Merlin turned to look at him. "Thank you. For saving me."
"You welcome." Merlin said, grinning as he left and shut the door behind him.
The End