Just a quick author's note. Magic is accepted by Uther (since Ygraine hasn't died of magic in my story).
"I thought I would find you here." Arthur walked into the room and sat down next to Merlin on the sofa in front of the painting. It was the one place he found Merlin on a near daily base since they heard the devastating news that his stepmother and sister were brutally murdered for a couple of lousy gold pieces.
Merlin looked up at his brother with a grim smile before turning back to the family portrait on the wall. It has been eight months since his mother and sister have died and he still had a hard time dealing with it. And especially this week since it would be his and his sister's sixteenth birthday. His father and Arthur had done all they could to somehow shift his attention to something else, but they knew it wouldn't make much difference. They all had a hard time.
Merlin sighed deeply. The look of horror on the mercenaries faces when they were sentenced to death was not worth anything, it wouldn't bring his mother and sister back. Sure he and his sister didn't see eye to eye all the time, but she was his sister and he loved her dearly.
"Do you want to go for a ride? You always love to be in the nature." Arthur offered. It was a long shot since his brother didn't want to do anything in the past eight months. He would either wander around aimlessly around the castle or sit in front the family portrait. He didn't even wanted to practice his magic as much as he used to, because; "what's the point in me having magic if I can't bring them back?", as his brother has said many times these past months.
Arthur watched his brother giving him a one shoulder shrug. "I guess."
Well, it was a start. Arthur thought. Normally he would flat out reject any suggestions to do something. Arthur couldn't help but let a smile appear. "Great. I will get a servant to ready our horses, why don't you go and change?"
"Alright." Merlin said sulkily and stood up.
"See you in a bit." Arthur said and disappeared through the door. He had to go find a servant to tell the stable hand to ready their horses and then go and change himself as he was still dressed in his chainmail after this morning's training. He rounded the corner and skidded to a halt since he almost collided with his father.
"Arthur?"
"Merlin has agreed to go on a ride, father." He just couldn't stop grinning and he even saw a smile appear on his father's lips. It hasn't been easy for him as well, not only to lose his wife and daughter, but also sort of losing his son to the immense grief. Of course his father had given them both their time and space to grief, but Merlin had taken it the worst.
"He did? That is wonderful news, Arthur. Please, do look out for him. It pains me to see him so sad all the time."
"I will father. I will take him to the forest, to be in touch with nature always did him good. Perhaps he will even do some magic. I haven't seen him do anything these past weeks and we both know what Gaius has told us if he keeps his magic bottled in too long."
Uther nodded, immediately thinking back at Merlin at an earlier age. His magic was still not quite under his control and whenever he used it, it would bring more damage than not. In the end his son wouldn't want to use any magic just because he feared what could happen. Sadly, him not using magic caused him to become so ill he lost consciousness for three days. Only when the druid Iseldir came and performed a spell, did Merlin get out of it.
Uther did not like to think back at that time, so he clapped Arthur on his back. "Take care of him."
"Of course, father."
