Disclaimer: I don't own Merlin. BBC does.
Merlin let out a breath as he walked into the council chambers, seeing Uther already seated, papers sat in front of him, indicating that Merlin was a little early.
Uther looked up as Merlin approached the left side of the table, his customary seat next to Uther. "My Lord," he said softly, nodding his head in respect to his guardian before taking his seat.
"Ah, Merlin," the king gave the boy a small smile before putting down his quill and sealing the scrolls he had been working on, signalling for a servant to take them away as he regarded his ward. "The first to arrive, as usual." He took a gulp of the wine that was in his goblet in front of him. "I wish that Arthur's time keeping was like yours."
"Well, he is on the training field, sire," Merlin supplied, "he would have had to wash before coming down."
The two of them looked up as Arthur walked into the chambers, his hair still slightly damp, proving Merlin's theory right.
"Father, Merlin," Arthur greeted as he sat down and the two of them answered in the same way. Not much was said as they waited for the final person to join them. The servants had started to set the food on the table, placing plates and cutlery in front of the three of them.
They all turned when the doors opened and the young girl Merlin had seen in the courtyard that morning walked in. Her head was down as she walked forward. Uther stood up, walking over to her and placing a hand gently on her shoulder, guiding her to sit next to Merlin. He gave her a smile as she sat down, glancing at him and Arthur.
"Arthur, Merlin, I would like you to meet Morgana." Uther sat down once again, "I have taken her into my care and she will be living with us from now on."
The meal was quiet after that, none of them really saying anything other than when Uther asked them specific questions. Arthur on how his training was going and Merlin about his studies. Arthur made a crack at Merlin for having to sit and go through all those books while he was 'becoming a man' and training with the others. Merlin pointed out that he wasn't ten yet and therefore wasn't allowed just like Arthur hadn't been, which shut Arthur up pretty quickly.
Morgana didn't say anything throughout the meal and none of them pushed her to, remembering from when Uther had taken Merlin in, it had taken him a little while to really open up. While he had not been silent like Morgana was at the moment, it had taken a while for him to open up and come to terms with his new situation. Uther knew that part of Merlin's ease with accepting his change in circumstances had a lot to do with his age, being half the age Morgana was now but he had hope that she would adjust just as he had.
Morgana excused herself quickly at the end of the meal, hurrying out of the room and going back up to her own chambers, Merlin watching her go. Uther advised Arthur that he had his afternoon lessons to go to and Merlin grinned at the prince's expression. He had clearly forgotten that while he did not have daily lessons like Merlin did, he still had to put in study time.
Merlin knew that he had further lessons later on in the day but that was not until the third hour of the afternoon. While the king went back to his council business and Arthur made his way to his chambers, Merlin found himself asking a maid if she knew where Morgana's rooms were. The maid had no objection to telling the young boy what he wanted to know. Much to Arthur's annoyance, the castle staff, the maids in particular all loved Merlin. They found that he was kind and courteous, polite and respectful to all, no matter their station.
He stopped outside Morgana's chambers, hesitating for a moment before knocking. He opened the door when he heard her call out for him to enter. She was sat at her vanity table, watching the door in the mirror. Now that he could see her properly, he could see that she was very pretty. Like him, she had pale skin and dark hair but her eyes were a brilliant green rather than his blue.
"I hope I'm not intruding," he said softly as he closed the door behind him. She shook her head, giving him a small smile. "I was just coming to see how you're settling in. If you're alright."
She let out a quick breath, standing up and turning to face him. "I just wish that people would stop asking me that. If I'm alright." She looked down at her hands in front of her. "It makes me want to scream."
"I know," he whispered, stepping closer to her. "I know what it's like."
She looked up, regarding him closely and he felt a little uncomfortable under her scrutiny. "You're also Uther's ward." It wasn't a question but a statement. Either Uther had told her or she had guessed herself who he was.
"I am," Merlin sighed, linking his hands behind his back. "Uther took me in when I was five. My village was attacked and I was the only one to survive." Morgana sucked in a breath, her heart reaching out to the young boy that she'd only just met. "Uther found me after my mother died and he took me in. He could have left me there or given me to another family to raise. But he took me and gave me a place in his own family." He saw that Morgana had tears in her eyes as she regarded him. "I know how hard it is. And I just . . . wanted you to know that if you ever need to talk . . . I understand."
"Thank you, Merlin." She whispered and he nodded, giving her a small smile.
"You're welcome," he replied softly as he walked out of the room. He closed the door behind him and made his way back to his own chambers, hearing the guard that had been assigned to him following him closely.
"Ah, Merlin," he stopped when he heard Uther call him, "You have just come from Morgana's chambers, yes?"
"Yes, sire," he admitted and Uther nodded, placing a hand on his shoulder as he began to walk, "I could see that she was upset at the midday meal and I wanted her to know that if she ever needed to, she could talk to me about it."
"That is very kind of you, Merlin." Uther said softly and the boy looked up at his guardian as they walked into his chambers. "I have no doubt that she will appreciate that there is someone for her to talk to." Merlin nodded, his eyes downcast as he remembered how he had felt when he first came to Camelot. Everything had been so overwhelming to begin with and once that had settled, he had realised that his mother wasn't coming back. "I must apologise to you, though."
"For what, sire?"
"All of this with Morgana," he sighed, placing his hand on Merlin's shoulder again. "I had failed to think of how it would affect you. Of the memories it would stir up."
"You don't need to apologise, my lord." Merlin assured him. Yes, he had been reminded of how he had felt when first coming to Camelot since Uther had told Arthur and Merlin of Morgana's coming but he also knew that he thought about his mother every day. "I'm just glad that I may be able to help her while she's hurting."
Uther gave him a grateful smile. "You are good boy, Merlin." He stepped back from the boy he regarded as a second son. "I must get back to the council."
"Of course, sire," Merlin gave the king a small bow as he always did when Uther was around and the king turned and walked out of the chambers.
The king couldn't help but smile as he left his young ward. Though there had been many questions and murmurings from the council when he had brought him back with him nearly five years ago, Uther had never regretted bringing Merlin into his care. He was a kind, sweet boy who always seemed to know what to say and do to calm his son's fiery temper. When he had begun Merlin's education, Lord Geoffrey, whom he had assigned to teach Merlin, had told him that the young boy had a sharp mind and soaked up the information he was given like a sponge. While Uther would make sure that he joined the others in training when he turned ten, Uther would ensure that Merlin's education continued in the way it was now. He had already informed Geoffrey of Merlin's future and that he desired Merlin to become Arthur's advisor when he became King. What with Merlin's inquisitive nature and his natural calming ability around Arthur, he knew he had made the right choice.
No, Uther could never regret fulfilling the promise he had made to the boy's mother and taking Merlin into his care. In doing so, he had gained another son.
Merlin had time to spare before Lord Geoffrey returned to continue his lessons. He knew that they were going to be going over even more of the ancient trade routes that led in and out of Camelot but now that Geoffrey had told him why he was learning all of this, he knew that knowing these things could be important.
He walked out of his chambers and made his way up onto the battlements. He liked to sit up here and watch the people below. He often imagined where he would be if those men had not attacked his village. He would most likely still be living in Ealdor with his mother. Tending to the fields as best he could and helping others around the village.
It would have been a simple existence, that much he knew. Here he was surrounded by politics and people that were always after something more than they had. There were many that tried to petition the king and tried to get one up on those around him.
What was worse though was when someone was accused of sorcery. That was when the fears he had came to light. While he and Arthur were not permitted to watch the executions of the people that had been accused, due to their age, they knew that they were happening and that innocent people had lost their lives due to Uther's hatred. Neither of them knew why he hated magic so much but they knew that if Uther were to ever discover that Merlin had magic, even he would not be safe.
It was up on the battlements, a wide open place that had very few people that Merlin was able to release a small amount of his magic. While the guard followed him wherever he went, he never came too close when Merlin was up on the battlements, knowing that the king's ward came up here to think and to be alone. He gave the boy as much space as possible while keeping him in his line of sight.
Merlin sat on one of the walls as he normally did, legs crossed in front of him as he watched the people below him. He took a deep breath, subtly looking around to make sure that no one was paying attention to him. The guard was standing at the other end of the wall, an eye on him but not consciously watching him to allow for some semblance of privacy. He let the breath he had held out slowly, lowering his guard minutely and allowing some of the magic that had built up within him to seep out. He didn't do anything conscious with it, keeping his eyes closed as he knew that they would be glowing gold. Once he no longer felt his magic pushing to get out, rather the warmth of it running through him as normal, his stopped the flow coming from him and opened his eyes again. He knew that Uther worried he would fall but the king never stopped him from coming up here.
He stayed up there until the bell tolled the third hour and he knew that he was going to be late for his lesson. He quickly made his way towards his chambers where he found Lord Geoffrey waiting for him.
"Up on the battlements again, Merlin?" He asked, a small smile on his face as the young boy shrugged. It was no secret that Merlin often went to the battlements to think or to get out of the way of the others in the castle and often lost track of time.
Their lesson was interrupted when the warning bell began to toll and the guard stepped into the room.
"What's going on?" Merlin asked getting up. Over the years he had been here there had been several times when the warning bell had tolled but usually it was in the middle of the night.
"There is an intruder in the castle. Please remain here where you are said, young Lord." The guard closed the door and Merlin knew that there was nothing else that was going to be said about it. Geoffrey walked up behind Merlin and placed his hands on his shoulders, reassuring the boy.
Merlin went to sit on the windowsill as the bell continued to toll and Geoffrey didn't try to get him to focus on his lessons any more that afternoon. Merlin could see that the guards were running all over the courtyard, searching for the intruder.
It was sometime later that the warning bell stopped and the guard came back to tell him that everything was safe. He knew that they wouldn't tell him anything and the guard told him to stay in his chambers for the time being.
Lord Geoffrey left after the guard had and Merlin stayed at the window, watching the people below. He wasn't sure how long he stayed there but the guards were beginning to build a platform in the centre of the courtyard when someone knocked on his chamber door, opening them straight away. He turned to see Arthur standing there watching him.
"Did your father tell you what happened?" Merlin asked and Arthur shook his head, walking over to where Merlin was sat looking down through the window. "They obviously caught him if they're building that."
"I don't know what he was doing." Arthur murmured and Merlin glanced over at him. The two of them knew that they would not be allowed to remain in either of their rooms when the man was executed. Uther didn't want to risk them seeing what was happening, having deemed neither of them old enough. They were usually ensconced in the council chambers when that happened and they realised that Morgana would now be joining them.
This was the one part about living in the castle that Merlin hated and he knew that Arthur did as well. Neither of them liked that people had to die and that it was Uther's decision to make that happen. But at the same time, they both knew that sometimes there was a reason.
The two boys couldn't help but watch as the platform was erected and the block placed in the centre. The people of the city, knowing what was to happen had started to gather but the two boys turned as a guard entered the room, requesting that they follow him.
They made their way down to the council chambers, following the guard and found Morgana already waiting in there. Once the doors were closed, they noticed that there had been food laid out, ready for when Uther returned and it was clear that they would be sharing their evening meal with him.
"What's going on?" Morgana asked, walking over to them as the guards stationed themselves inside the door.
"There was an intruder." Arthur stated simply, sitting down in his customary seat on the right hand side of the head of the table. "Father has sentenced them to be executed."
"But why are we in here?" She looked to Merlin who had sat down opposite Arthur.
"Because Uther doesn't want to risk us seeing." Merlin explained and she looked towards the doors, concerned. "He believes we are too young to be seeing such things."
"Does this happen often?" She asked, sitting down next to Merlin in the place she had been in for the meal earlier in the day.
"As often as is needed." Arthur replied, running his thumb over the pattern in the wood grain. "Sometimes people try to hurt my father and when they are caught, they have to be dealt with."
He looked over at the two of them, the tone of his voice and the expression on his face saying to the two wards that even though he, like them, knew that it was sometimes necessary to carry out such measures, he didn't always agree with them.
While I'm not a hundred per cent sure of the difference in Morgana and Arthur's ages in the series, in this story Arthur is the oldest of all of them. It is stated in 'To Kill the King' that Morgana was 10 when Gorlois died and she was taken into Uther's care so hers is the only age I'm sure of.
In this and the previous chapter the ages of the three of them are as follows:
Arthur - 13
Morgana - 10
Merlin - 9 (almost 10)