"I am surprised that you managed to get him to eat." Aceso voice was full of wonder.
Merlin was silent for a moment. "He needs to see that the food isn't drugged. An easy way to do that is to eat the food with him."
"Do you have the potion ready?" Merlin made sure to keep his voice soft. No one needs to know what they were planning.
"Yes. You do realize that King Loarn would be pissed when he finds out what you are planning." Aceso eyes were bright with happiness. She wants Robert to be punished to the full extend. He will die slowly and painfully.
Merlin gave her a slight smile. "This would be the perfect way to show to the rest of the kingdom what would happen if you betray the crown." Merlin's eyes flites around the hall. He could see the servants running around, making ready for something.
"Princes Merlin?" Aceso sudden drop in confidence made Merlin stop.
"Yes?" Merlin watched her studying her slightly.
"Would you give Arthur the choice, if he wants to stay or not?" Her hands were clasp in front of her lap. Her eyes on the floor.
For a moment there was silence between them. "Yes. It would be his choice. I would make sure he knows that he could always come back to me, but I won't force him to stay. He would be free to leave if he wants." Merlin could admit to himself, that he hoped he would stay.
"I do hope that he would stay, but it is one thing that I would never force on anyone, begin in a relationship they don't want to be." Merlin's frowned slightly as he remembered how long it took his parents to help the omegas that were trapped in relationships they didn't want to be in.
"I wish there would be more Alpha's like you." Aceso's was slightly saddened. Her mother was trapped in a loveless marriage. She finally died after wasting away for years.
Merlin gave her a sad smile. He knew how ruthless some of the other kingdoms were in the last few years.
"Are you happy here?" With a slight glance to her side, he could see her thinking about the answer.
Her eyes darted to the ground as her hands folded into each other. "Not really, but at least I have a chance to be helpful here. The people are truly corrupted to their souls, and the king wishes not to see it. If I leave, I would worry about the kingdom's people the whole time."
"That is respectable. You have magic, do you know that?" Merlin stopped walking when Aceso stopped behind him.
Her eyes had changed suddenly. She looked ready to turn and run. Merlin lifts his one brow.
"Calm down. I am the last person who will give you over." How ironic would that be?
"How did you know?" Anyone with ears would have been able to hear the silent hiss she almost made.
Merlin gave her a slight unamused look.
"I can see people's magical strength. Everyone has a little bit of magic in them. Those whose magic is weak can't cast it, those who are stronger. Well, you get my point." Merlin sounded slightly amused.
"Would you be willing to accept some books that would help you harness it better?" Aceso was slightly wiped lased by the fact that he went from amused to serious in a matter of seconds.
She looked Merlin directly in the eyes. "If it means that I would be able to help my patients more, yes I would please." There was a slight nervousness to her that made Merlin wanted to hug her.
"It would. I will send it to you as soon as I am back in Mercia." Merlin's eyes turned to the council room. He hoped that he would be able to convince Loarn that it wouldn't be necessary for Arthur to testify, but he had a feeling that it would be an uphill battle.
"Goodluck." With those words, Aceso turned back around. She knows the king wants the whole truth on what was going on. And a small part of her had a feeling that he would ignore the fact that his son had hurt an omega to get to that truth.
"Loarn." Merlin greeted easily as he walked into the room. He could see the king stiffen slightly before he started to pace again. Merlin knows that the king would never show how shaken he truly is, for him to show it.
"Merlin. What do I own this honer to?" His voice was rough as if he had cried.
"Are you going to make Arthur stand trial?" Merlin looked the king dead in the eyes. He knew even in his own country, that in a case like this, everyone involved would have to testify.
Loarn gave Merlin a slightly frustrated look. "You know as well as I, that he would need to testify. All accounts need to be heard." There was a hardness to his voice, that raised Merlin's heckles slightly.
"Are you going to force him to do it with Robert in the room?" Merlin's matched the kings' stance, showing this wasn't something he would back down from.
"Yes." Loarn turns around, his eyes moving to the tainted window.
Merlin could feel the frustration bubbling up in him. This was just plain cruel but he knows that the law needed to be followed to the letter. Some of the kingdoms were getting better in this, but for the most part, the victims would never get the justice that needs to be served.
"I know that you want to protect him Merlin, and he is an omega, but understand, I need to try and get clarity on why Robert did this. Lillian and Osgar would do whatever they can to try and get the lightest possible sentence. They were also in the wrong and they know it." Loarn looked almost ten years older in seconds.
"I understand that, but the least you can do is make sure that Robert isn't in the room. He doesn't need to see him again." Merlin could feel his magic trying to find a way out, but with years of training, he managed to keep his magic under control.
With a groan, Merlin turned around leaving the room, just as he reached the door, he turned back to Loarn. "Just for a moment try and think what you would have wanted if you were the one hurt." With those parting words, he turned to make his way back to Aceso chamber.
Morgana nearly jumped when Merlin entered the room. He was glad to see that Arthur was asleep.
"How did it go?" Morgana smooth a wrinkle from her dress, she knows it is one of her ways to hide the fact that she was feeling nervous.
"He would need to testify, unfortunately. Hopefully, Loarn would allow it that Robert would be removed when he needs to go up. But I won't hold my breath for it." Merlin took a slight breath in as he could feel his magic starting to settle.
Morgana turned back around, her finger going to her lip. "Do you think he would be able to do it?" When the question left her mouth, she couldn't help but wonder why she would ask Merlin that. He doesn't truly know her brother.
But she could admit, he was the one that knew how to be around him.
Merlin gave her a tight smile. "He would, he is stronger than you think."
Morgana's hand's flex slightly. "I will warn him, would one of us be allowed in the room with him?" She looked at her brothers form. He had lost so much weight that she had thought for a few moments that he was a skeleton with skin.
"Yes, the proceedings would be otherwise closed, only the king's four trusted advisors would be allowed in." Merlin gave her a tight smile before he nodded and left the room. He needed to check in on his men and make sure the dragons were not trying to bite people they didn't know.
Morgana sat down again, for a moment she closed her eyes and tried to think how everything would have been different if Arthur had met Merlin first. She could see that Merlin would make Arthur happy. Even if they weren't true-mates, he would have been happy.
Hey everyone, I hope you all are enjoying this story. So much more to come. You can also find me on Tumblr lover-of-midnight