There Are No Sides
People always thought that Arthur was the imperious one: it was in the way he talked, the way he moved, the way he looked. Everything about him spoke of power and confident, of militaristic obedience and complete control. He was a man that would bow to no one, a man to rule and not to follow.
But as the court dispersed and the doors closed, it wasn't like that at all – when the masks slipped away and the true face came to see the light of day, he was none of these things – he was unsure and afraid, full of doubts he couldn't face.
It was Merlin who called the shots, who eased his pains and hunted them away. It was the servant, that each day would be more proper, that rose to the challenge of questioning the man he had swore to follow, that he had lived to serve, that he had learned to love. It was Merlin who was imperious, speaking his mind and sharing the sleepless nights. It was from Merlin that he never wished to hide.