V. Long live the King
Arthur stands next to Uther's bed, letting his gaze rest on his father and trying to convince himself that he's ready to talk to him after Merlin's spell altered Uther's mental state.
Uther is lying motionless in his bed, propped up on several pillows, still wearing a white bandage around his head. His features are peaceful while sleeping and his hands are resting next to his body on top of the deep red blanket, which covers him up to his waist.
Finally, Arthur takes a deep breath before looking at Merlin next to him and nodding briefly, indicating that he's ready. A moment later, Arthur sees the now familiar golden shimmer appear in Merlin's eyes and when his gaze wanders to his father again, Uther is slowly waking up.
He opens his eyes, blinking a few times. When he spots Arthur standing next to his bed, a warm smile appears on his lips.
"Arthur," he says happily, before his eyes flicker to the window and to the sun already standing high in the sky. "I must have slept longer than usual. But I haven't felt this rested in quite some time. I guess I should sleep in more often, don't you think?"
Arthur tries not to stare at his father, but he knows that he's not succeeding. Uther doesn't seem to notice though and just looks at Arthur with a soft expression on his face.
"Yes, Father, you should," Arthur belatedly replies, forcing a smile. "You should really do that."
Uther nods, before turning his head towards the window again. His gaze is directed into the distance and his entire attention seems to be taken up by the blue sky and the occasional white clouds passing by slowly.
Arthur feels Merlin nudging him with his elbow gently, before hearing Merlin's voice in his head.
"Ask him something."
Arthur can't prevent himself from flinching slightly. It's still strange for him that Merlin is able to talk to him in his mind and that Arthur can answer as long as they are touching. However, it is not at all unpleasant and just like last night when they first tried it out, Arthur can sense Merlin as a warm and uncannily familiar presence close to him.
"Like what?" Arthur asks, after reaching for Merlin's hand in order to answer him.
Merlin shrugs. "I don't know. Something."
Arthur deliberates for a moment, his eyes flickering back to his father. So far, Uther hasn't behaved much differently than usual, except for not asking any questions about why he's lying in his bed with a bandage around his head, and Arthur thinks his father seems a bit absent-minded.
"Father, may I ask you a question?"
Uther turns his head, facing Arthur with an open smile. "But of course, Arthur."
Arthur hesitates for a moment, but they are here to find out if the spell Merlin cast on Uther is working as they intended.
"What do you think about magic, father?"
From the corner of his eye, Arthur sees a skeptical expression crossing Merlin's face, but he ignores it. They need to know if the spell is working and that is the fastest way to ascertain that.
The soft smile on Uther's lips vanishes all at once, and a pained expression appears over his face. Then he averts his eyes, training his gaze onto the blanket.
"Magic is… evil," Uther says in a trembling voice, and the knuckles on his fingers stand out white as he clutches the blanket, as if desperately trying to hold on to it.
"Why?" Arthur demands quietly.
A choked sound escapes Uther's throat as he gasps for air. "Because it took Ygraine from me," he answers in a raspy voice, and tears begin to run down his cheeks, as he ducks his head and begins to cry softly.
Arthur stares at his father, his breath catching in his throat. He has never seen his father cry before. Whenever Arthur thinks of his father, the image of a strong, hard and aloof man appears in his mind. That's not the man Uther is any longer. He seems helpless and broken, and Arthur feels sorry for him.
After a long moment, Arthur reaches out a hand, gently placing it on Uther's shoulder.
"It's alright, father," he says quietly. "That was a long time ago. And you still have me. I'm right here."
Uther lifts his head and looks at Arthur again. The smile returns to Uther's lips as if he can just let go of the painful memories at the sight of Arthur. With the back of his hand Uther wipes away the tears, before placing his hand on top of Arthur's.
"Yes, you are. And I love you more than anything, my son, never forget that."
The warmth and sincerity of Uther's gaze brings tears to Arthur's eyes. He has hated his father for so many years, completely forgetting that there was a time he had loved him. Arthur remembers how Uther took his place in the duel against the wraith of Tristan de Bois, and how Uther told him afterwards that Arthur meant more to him than anything else in the world, more than his entire kingdom, and certainly more than his own life.
Arthur blinks away the tears, swallowing around the lump in his throat. "I know, father. I know."
Uther smiles happily before his gaze wanders past Arthur to Merlin. "Ah, you're his new manservant," Uther says, apparently only now realizing that Arthur is not standing beside his bed alone. "I… I just can't remember your name…" Uther's brows furrow and his gaze wanders back to the blanket as he thinks hard.
"My name is Merlin, sire."
"Ah yes, Merlin," Uther says, smiling delightedly. "That's right. Take good care of my son, you hear?"
The look Uther gives Merlin is a meaningful one and Merlin dips his head solemnly.
"Of course, sire."
Uther nods, clearly satisfied by Merlin's promise. Then his gaze just rests on Merlin and Arthur as if he is perfectly content to just look at the two of them.
"I think that's enough," Arthur says quietly, his gaze still fixed on his father.
A moment later, Uther's eyes slowly fall close. His head sinks back into the pillows as he falls asleep again, forgetting the conversation that has just taken place.
Arthur takes a deep breath. "It worked."
"Yes, it did," Merlin replies and this time he refrains from teasing Arthur for not having faith in his magical abilities.
Arthur regards his father silently, before shaking his head slowly. "I'd forgotten how he could be."
"You were always the most important thing in the world to him," Merlin says softly. "He just couldn't show it to you properly, because deep down he always saw your mother in you. And that caused him too much pain."
Arthur nods thoughtfully. The death of his mother had made his father hard and bitter. Those painful memories, laced with guilt and grief had always been present in his mind. Without them Uther Pendragon is a different man and Arthur can once again see the father he loved as a little boy with childlike naivety.
"We have to make sure no one tries to take advantage of his condition," Arthur says, and all at once he feels a strong need to protect his father.
"We will," Merlin promises. "But for the time being, we should let him sleep. A few more days, at least. With a head wound like this, it would usually take him a while to regain consciousness."
Arthur merely nods, not looking at Merlin, as his gaze still rests on his father's sleeping form.
By the time Arthur and Morgana arrive back at the courtyard and slow down their horses, Sir Geraint and Sir Bors are waiting for them in front of the large staircase. Arthur isn't surprised in the least to see the two knights, and he already knows what kind of news they have for him and Morgana.
After Arthur managed to persuade Morgana to take a short ride around the castle to take her mind off things, Merlin had lifted the spell that kept Uther asleep so far. Four days have passed since the accident, and the members of the council have become more restless by the day. Although Arthur can conduct the king's official business as regent, the council has insisted that Arthur refrains from making important decisions until his father regains consciousness. Arthur has no interest in leaving Camelot in this vulnerable state any longer than absolutely necessary, and when some council members started suggesting to postpone Bayard's visit and the signing of the peace treaty between Camelot and Mercia, Arthur knew that it was time.
"Sire, milady, the king is awake," Bors reports as Arthur pulls on Hengroen's reins, bringing the horse to a halt in front of the large staircase. [1]
Arthur's eyes flicker to Morgana. She returns his look with a cautious smile on her lips, before dismounting from her chestnut mare and handing the reins over to Geraint.
Neither Arthur nor Morgana say a word as they walk through the castle up to the king's chambers. Morgana opens the door and as Arthur follows her into the room, he sees that Uther is sitting upright in his bed. Geoffrey and Gaius are standing next to Uther's bed and Gaius is removing the bandage from his head.
"Father," Arthur says, doing his best to sound relieved at seeing his father awake.
Uther turns his head to him and a happy smile appears on his lips. "Arthur. It's good to see you."
"How are you feeling?" Arthur asks as he and Morgana walk around the room and stand on the other side of Uther's bed.
"Good, in fact, I feel very well. How kind of you to ask," Uther replies.
Arthur notices Gaius brows furrowing, before he exchanges a quick glance with Geoffrey. Finally, Gaius puts the bandage aside and addresses Uther.
"Sire, you had an accident. Do you remember?"
Uther blinks a few times, before looking at Gaius as if he had completely forgotten that Gaius was standing right next to him.
"An accident? No… no, I don't remember that," Uther finally answers without visible concern. "Did I get hurt?"
The fact that Gaius has just removed a white bandage from around Uther's head makes this question seem very strange, and the expression on Gaius' face speaks volumes.
"Yes, sire," Gaius says gravely. "You suffered a blow to the head. You were unconscious until today. Are you in any pain?"
"No, I'm not. But I'm sure that's only because you take such good care of me, old friend. You always do." Uther smiles at Gaius. Then he seems to notice Morgana standing next to Arthur, and his smile widens. "Morgana, you are here, too. And you look so beautiful. Just like your mother, Vivienne. She was also one of the most beautiful women in Camelot."
Morgana stares at Uther, completely surprised and Arthur can relate to that. Uther has never spoken about Vivienne before.
Morgana finally smiles and awkwardly puts a hand on Uther's arm without saying anything.
From the corner of his eyes, Arthur sees Gaius' increasingly worried look.
"Sire, we're glad that you are feeling better," Gaius continues. "King Bayard of Mercia will be here in about two weeks to sign the peace treaty. We had hoped that by then you would have recovered enough strength to receive him and his entourage. Do you think you will be able to do so?"
Uther, however, doesn't respond to Gaius' question. His gaze has wandered from Morgana to the window behind her, and when Arthur turns around to see what has caught his father's attention, he notices a jay sitting outside on the window ledge. The little bird hops back and forth while repeatedly flinging a nut he has in his beak against the stone. When the nutshell finally cracks open, the jay begins to peck out the white nut inside.
When Arthur looks at his father again, he sees Uther watching the bird with a pensive smile on his lips.
"Sire?" Gaius asks when he realizes that Uther has not listened to him.
Uther doesn't look at Gaius though. Instead, he continues gazing at the bird and its nut.
"Look at this little guy over there, Gaius. He doesn't have hands or tools to open this nut, but he still manages to do it. Isn't that amazing?"
Gaius and Geoffrey follow Uther's gaze to the window ledge and when Gaius looks back at Arthur a moment later, his expression is petrified. Arthur does his best to appear deeply troubled as well.
"Father?" he finally says softly, and Uther looks at him in response. "We will leave you alone now, so you can rest. One of the servants will bring you something to eat. You must be hungry."
Uther nods expectantly, seemingly forgetting the bird and its nut again. "Do you think the cook has baked those little tarts with the honey and the walnuts for today? Those are my favorite."
A smile tugs at the corners of Arthur's lips, and he has to remind himself to make it look forced. "I'll ask, and if not, I'm sure she can make some for tomorrow."
"That would be wonderful, Arthur. Thank you," Uther replies overjoyed.
Arthur nods, before he, Gaius, Geoffrey, and Morgana leave Uther's chambers.
After Geoffrey closes the door behind them, they stop in the corridor and Gaius looks at each of them with a grim expression on his face.
"It is as I already feared. The blow to the head has affected his brain."
"But he will recover from that, won't he?" Morgana asks hopefully, but Gaius shakes his head.
"I'm afraid not, milady. The damage has already been done. His body has healed what it could, which is why he regained consciousness, but it is highly unlikely that he will ever regain his previous mental state."
The silence that unfurls between them is heavy, and they all know what this means.
"We need to convene the council to determine how to proceed," Geoffrey finally says.
Arthur nods. "Do that, Geoffrey. Gaius, accompany him, please. I will meet you in the council chamber shortly."
Geoffrey and Gaius both incline their heads in a bow before walking down the corridor. Arthur watches them, until he feels a gentle hand on his arm and looks at Morgana.
She smiles faintly and Arthur returns the smile, grateful for her support. Then his expression turns serious a moment later.
"I want you to order Guinevere to stay with my father. I don't want him confined to his chambers alone, but I don't want to risk anyone trying to take advantage of his condition. We will find someone to take care of him, but for now I want someone with him that I can trust, and I can't spare Merlin right now."
Morgana seems surprised for an instant, but then she nods. "Of course. I will tell her right away."
"Thank you. And please tell her that she can utilize all the servants she needs to complete her tasks."
Morgana gently squeezes Arthur's arm, before heading off to talk to Guinevere. Arthur goes the other way and when he reaches the two guards standing at the end of the corridor, he gives them strict orders not to let anyone but him, Morgana, Merlin, Guinevere, Gaius and Geoffrey pass to see his father.
The session of the council drags on into the late afternoon and as expected the council decides that Uther can no longer be King of Camelot in his condition, and that Arthur should be crowned king as soon as possible. Camelot needs a strong king and if necessary the council will dispose of Uther by decree. However, it would be easier if Uther abdicated on his own accord, and Arthur assures the members of the council that he can get his father to agree to this.
When Arthur opens the door to Uther's chambers a little while later, he discovers Guinevere sitting on the edge of his father's bed. Gaius has ordered the king to remain in bed for a few days to make sure that Uther doesn't fall and injure himself during a spell of dizziness.
Arthur notices a wooden tray resting on Uther's thighs, and Guinevere is shaking a leather dice cup between her hands, before putting the cup onto the tray. When she lifts the cup to reveal the dice, she makes a disappointed sound, but then she laughs.
"You win, sire. Again."
Uther laughs as well, shaking his head with a fond expression on his face.
Arthur pauses at the door, watching the scene in front of him with amazement. His father, the King of Camelot, is playing dice with Guinevere, a servant girl. Arthur cannot remember his father ever playing a game of dice to pass the time. Uther had never allowed himself any leisure time, not when there had been official business to attend to.
Arthur looks at his father and Guinevere for another moment, before entering the room. At the sound of the door closing, his father looks up from the game.
"Arthur, how nice of you to visit me," he says when he spots Arthur, smiling delightedly. "Guinevere here is playing a dice game with me, but I think she's letting me win."
Guinevere's eyes widen in playful indignation. "I would never do something like that," she replies innocently. "You're just too good for me, sire."
Uther looks at her with an indulgent smile and Arthur can't help but wonder how many times Guinevere has already let Uther win, that he'd managed to notice it.
"Would you please leave us, Guinevere?" Arthur asks after a moment, and Guinevere nods without hesitating. She stands up, takes the tray with the dice game on it and places it on a small table, before bowing briefly and leaving the room.
Uther looks after Guinevere with a soft smile. "She is a very nice girl. And she is Tom's daughter, did you know that? Tom is the best blacksmith in all of Camelot."
"Yes, I knew that, father," Arthur replies, sitting down on the edge of his father's bed.
Uther nods, still smiling, before his eyes flicker to a bouquet of wildflowers standing in a vase on his bedside table. "Morgana has already visited me this morning too, and she brought me these beautiful flowers."
Arthur takes a glance at the flowers and nods. "They are indeed beautiful, father."
"They are," Uther replies pensively, still looking at the bouquet.
Arthur, meanwhile, takes a moment to study his father. It seems a little easier for Uther to hold on to a thought today than it was the case yesterday. His brain is probably still getting used to Merlin's spell. This, however, doesn't change the fact that Uther is obviously no longer capable of ruling a kingdom in his condition.
"Father, I have something important to discuss with you," Arthur finally begins, and Uther turns his head, looking at Arthur expectantly. "You've been… different since the accident."
At that Uther lowers his gaze, pressing his lips together.
"You noticed, didn't you?"
Uther nods weakly. "Yes, I have," he says in a small voice. "I have trouble concentrating and I forget things. I've become a burden to you and I can't…"
"No, father," Arthur interrupts him firmly. "You are not a burden. You never could be. It's just that… the people of Camelot need a strong and confident king. They need someone who has clear judgment and can make the right decisions in difficult situations. And you can't do that anymore."
Uther nods, his gaze still fixed downward on the blanket. Arthur has tried to tell Uther as gently as possible that he is no longer fit to rule Camelot, but still his words have left his father deeply troubled. He looks miserable and lost, and Arthur once again realizes how vulnerable Uther is in this state.
Swallowing, Arthur places a hand on Uther's arm. "You are still my father and I love you. But it would be the best for the people of Camelot if you abdicated as king."
Uther looks up, and to Arthur's surprise the troubled expression on his father's face disappears. Now Uther is smiling hopefully, and he seems grateful that Arthur has presented him with a solution.
"If you say that it's the best thing to do, then I will do it."
Apparently it didn't bother Uther that he is different since the accident. Rather, it bothered him that Arthur and Gaius saw it as a problem and that he didn't know how to deal with that.
Arthur smiles, but it's a forced smile. "Thank you, Father. I promise I will do everything in my power to be the king that Camelot needs to have a great future."
Uther puts his fingers over Arthur's hand still lying on his arm, before looking straight at him.
"I know you will, and you will be a great king. You are my son, after all."
Arthur's standing in his chambers in front of the large mirror on the wall, watching Merlin put the red cloak over his shoulders from behind. Merlin reaches around Arthur's body, closing the buckle at the front of the cloak, before pulling the hood of Arthur's chainmail out from underneath it. Finally, Merlin smooths out a few creases, before nodding satisfied.
After a moment, he seeks Arthur's gaze in the mirror before them. "Are you nervous?"
Arthur rolls his eyes. "Why would I be nervous? I'm the Once and Future King. It's my destiny to become King of Camelot once again."
Arthur puts on what he hopes is his best confident and cocky expression. Merlin however seems to be able to look right through him.
"You could have just said yes," he replies, grinning knowingly, before wrapping his arms around Arthur's waist from behind, stepping closer. "But I can assure you, there's no reason for you to be nervous. Like you said, you're the Once and Future King, it's your destiny to be king again. And you will be a great king, this time especially."
Arthur looks at Merlin through the mirror. Merlin believing in him with absolute certainty makes the nervousness Arthur is indeed feeling fade away, and he looks at Merlin with a grateful smile.
"And when you make a stupid decision, I will always be there to tell you what a dollophead you are. So you don't have to worry," Merlin adds with a wink.
Arthur turns around, feigning outrage, but Merlin's eyes twinkle and his mischievous grin never falters. Nevertheless, Arthur shakes his head disapprovingly, leaning forwards to catch Merlin's lips in a soft kiss after a moment.
When the kiss ends, they remain standing pressed against each other and Arthur leans his forehead against Merlin's forehead.
"I'm glad that you are here," he says quietly.
"I will always be by your side," Merlin replies. "And together we will create Albion's golden future."
Arthur smiles, and he kisses Merlin again, before finally letting him go.
"Ready?" Merlin asks, and Arthur turns around to face the mirror again.
Taking a deep breath, he looks at his reflection, and he has still trouble reconciling the young man he's seeing with himself. The face should look familiar by now, but it still doesn't. He knows that his knights respect him — after all he's one of them and has been training and fighting with them side by side for years — but Arthur has no illusions about the noble families and the members of the council. They have watched him grow up, and they still see him as an inexperienced young man who is not ready to rule in their eyes. It's going to take some time for them to realize that Arthur is more than he appears to be. Only then will they place their trust in him, and show him the respect he deserves.
Finally, Arthur takes another deep breath, squaring his shoulders. "Let's go."
With that, he turns around and walks to the door. Merlin opens it for him, before following Arthur a few feet behind through the corridors and down the stairs to the throne room.
The guards standing in front of the high double-door tap their spears twice on the stone floor as Arthur comes into view, and as he enters the hall, the people assembled on both sides turn their heads. Arthur looks straight ahead as he walks towards the throne at the front of the hall where Uther and Geoffrey are waiting for him. On the wall behind the throne the gold dragon on the red banner of Camelot shimmers brightly in the sunlight streaming through the windows.
As Arthur walks past the people, they bow deeply, but he barely notices them. The knights in their red cloaks are standing in the front row and next to them at the aisle, Arthur sees Morgana. She throws him a quick smile, and Arthur returns it faintly, before stopping in front of the stairs below the small platform where the throne is located.
Geoffrey nods to Uther, indicating that it's time, and Uther takes the golden ceremonial crown from his head without further ado, before addressing the people.
"I, Uther Pendragon, King of Camelot, hereby abdicate the throne in favor of my son Arthur Pendragon," he says in a loud voice, before handing the crown to Geoffrey and taking a step aside.
Arthur kneels before Geoffrey on the steps at the foot of the throne, and Geoffrey holds the crown above Arthur's head.
"Will you, Arthur Pendragon, solemnly promise and swear to govern the peoples of Camelot according to their respective laws and customs?"
"I solemnly swear so to do," Arthur says, his voice loud and clear.
"Will you to your power cause law and justice in mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?"
"I will."
"Then by the sacred laws vested in me, I crown you Arthur Pendragon, King of Camelot!"
Geoffrey places the ornate golden crown on Arthur's head and Arthur rises a moment later, before turning to face the people in the hall.
"Long live the king!" Leon, who is standing next to Morgana, exclaims loudly, and the people in the throne room repeat it three times according to tradition.
Arthur waits until there is silence once more, before starting to speak.
"People of Camelot. As your king I swear today, that I will be a just and merciful ruler. I will defend this kingdom against all enemies who should seek to destroy it. Camelot is standing on the brink of a glorious future where everyone will have a place to live their lives in peace and freedom, and I will fight for that future until my very last breath."
When Arthur has finished, the people begin to applaud and cheer, and Arthur searches the crowd for Merlin. He spots him at the far end of the hall next to the door and their eyes meet. Arthur wants nothing more than for Merlin to be standing next to him right now, but Camelot is not ready for that yet. For now Merlin's place is in the shadows once more, but with the difference that this time Arthur knows Merlin has his back.
The festivities in honor of Arthur's coronation start right after Arthur has given another speech from the balcony above the courtyard, where a crowd consisting of castle staff and common people from the Lower Town have gathered to see their new king. Several jesters, jugglers, and artists offer their tricks in front of the castle gates, while the servants set up the tables for the feast inside the throne room in a wide u-shape.
Arthur has ordered several boars and two dozen stags to be roasted for the common people, and so they continue celebrating in the streets while the feast is served in the throne room, accompanied by the sounds of the bards.
When it's already dark outside, and the food has been largely cleared away by the servants, Arthur notices Guinevere stepping behind Uther, who is sitting on Arthur's right at the high table. Guinevere isn't carrying a pitcher however, and she leans down to whisper something in Uther's ear. Uther nods, before rising from his seat and walking towards the door.
Arthur catches Guinevere's gaze and raises a questioning eyebrow, but Guinevere just shakes her head, smiling slyly, before following Uther outside. Confused, Arthur looks at Merlin, who stands at the side of the hall with a pitcher in his hands, but he merely shrugs as a reply.
While Arthur is still considering if he should follow his father and Guinevere outside, they are already coming back to the throne room. Guinevere's father Tom, the blacksmith, is with them, and they cross the hall until they are standing in front of the table directly in front of Arthur's throne. The people at the tables fall silent one after another, watching Uther and Tom with curious expressions.
"My son," Uther says, seemingly without noticing that everyone is looking at him. "To celebrate this great day, I have a gift for you. Tom worked day and night to complete it in time, and he did marvelous work."
Uther beckons Arthur to come over and Arthur stands up, before walking around the table. Tom bows deeply, before extending both of his palms and presenting Arthur with an oblong shaped object wrapped inside a deep red cloth. Uther opens the cloth and reveals the golden hilt of a sword sheathed inside a beautifully decorated scabbard.
"A sword fit for a king, sire," Toms says, his eyes respectfully lowered. "I can proudly say it's the finest sword I have ever forged."
Arthur is staring at the familiar ornaments on the scabbard, and he has a hard time believing what he's seeing in front of him. Finally, he reaches for the hilt, pulling the sword out of its sheath and holding it in front of him to inspect the blade in amazement. The hilt feels so familiar in his fingers that a shiver runs down Arthur's spine, and he swallows heavily, before he's able to say anything.
"It is truly a magnificent sword. You are undisputedly the best blacksmith in all of Camelot, Tom."
Tom bows deeply, and he hands Arthur the scabbard.
Uther has a broad grin on his face, and Arthur keeps his eyes fixated on the sword for another moment, before sheathing it again.
"Thank you, Father," he says with a raspy voice. Then Arthur pulls his father into a tight hug. Uther returns the hug briefly, before letting him go again.
Leon, some knights, and Morgana join them to examine the sword and when Arthur returns to his seat at the table a while later, Merlin steps behind him to refill his cup and discreetly touches Arthur's hand.
"You know which sword that is, right?" Merlin asks inside Arthur's mind.
Arthur nods, without looking at him. "Yes, it's Excalibur."
"Well not quite yet, it hasn't been bathed in the dragon's breath, but we will take care of that."
Now Arthur turns around to Merlin after all, raising his eyebrows.
Merlin tilts his head. "You didn't think it was just a normal sword, did you?"
"Well…" Arthur tentatively offers and Merlin stares at him, an incredulous look in his face.
"You pulled it out of a stone! Granted, I put it in there in the first place, so you could pull it out, but –"
"You did what?!" Arthur snaps, cutting Merlin off. "You told me that the first King of Camelot put it in that stone and that only his legitimate heir could pull it out again!"
Merlin grimaces briefly and then shrugs. "Yeah, I kind of made that up. You needed to believe in yourself again. And it worked, didn't it?"
Arthur stares at Merlin for another moment, before taking a deep breath and shaking his head. He can't help but wonder how long it will take until Merlin will have told him all the secrets from the other time.
Finally, Arthur's eyes flicker to the sword lying on the red cloth in front of him on the table, and he remembers how familiar the hilt felt in his hand.
"Do you think that this is a sign? That we are on the right path?"
Arthur looks up to find Merlin nodding with a small smile on his lips. "Yes. Yes, I think it is."
It's still early in the morning when Arthur is on his way through the castle and towards the training field. He's already wearing his chainmail and armor, and after descending the last steps of a staircase, he turns right into a corridor when he hears Morgana's voice behind him.
"Arthur, wait! I need to talk to you."
Arthur heaves a sigh, but he pauses and turns around. Morgana approaches him from the other side of the corridor and Arthur waits while she catches up to him.
Since the coronation a few days ago it feels like everyone constantly wants something from him. Arthur had forgotten how exhausting it is to be king and to be responsible for making all the decisions. In his position as prince he had only had to take care of the tasks his father gave him. Arthur knows that he has to do the same thing and hand over some of his duties to someone else, but he has simply lacked the time to do so.
"Whatever it is, can't it wait until later?" Arthur pleads, when Morgana reaches him. "I'm already late for training with the knights."
"Well then you should have kicked Merlin out of bed earlier, so he could bring up your breakfast on time," Morgana points out with a sweet smile.
Arthur assesses her silently for a moment and Morgana meets his eyes with an amused expression, devoid of malice or disapproval. Arthur should have known that he couldn't fool Morgana, and he's grateful that she seems to accept his relationship with Merlin, even though she can't realize how deep Arthur's feelings for Merlin really go. Merlin is, after all, only a servant in her eyes and Arthur is the King of Camelot.
Finally, Arthur makes a show of rolling his eyes. "Can we talk while you accompany me to the training field?" he asks and Morgana nods with a benevolent smile.
"Sure."
Arthur continues his way down the corridor, Morgana at his side. "So, what can I do for you?"
"I want to know when I get my handmaiden back."
"Soon."
"That's what you said two days ago," Morgana reminds him.
Arthur groans. "I have a lot to do, Morgana. I just haven't had time to look for someone who could take care of my father. And I can't just order one of the servants to do it, because I need someone who can't be bribed and whom I can trust not to take advantage of Uther's condition."
"And right there is your problem," Morgana points out smugly. "You have too much to do. You need someone who can take over some of your responsibilities. Uther always had you to do that, and you need to find someone now as well."
Arthur refrains from rolling his eyes again. Morgana is not telling him anything new. He has been waiting for the right moment to talk to her about this very thing, and he decides to take the opportunity.
"You're right," Arthur replies. "That's an excellent idea. How about you do it?"
"Do what?" Morgana asks, confused as she and Arthur turn a corner.
"Take over some of my responsibilities," Arthur answers easily. "I'm sure you can do it even better than me. With that beautiful smile of yours the lords will be putty in your hands. And your first task is to find a new competent chamberlain to coordinate everything. I trust Lord Mulgrave just about as far as I can throw him, and that's not very far considering how fat he is."
Morgana bursts out laughing and covers her mouth with her hand. "He really is awfully fat," she says after a moment, still chuckling and Arthur grins broadly.
After a few steps down the corridor Morgana's expression turns serious again, and she looks at Arthur cautiously. "You really trust me to take over some of your responsibilities?"
Arthur stops and turns to face Morgana, looking at her with a warm smile on his lips. "Of course I do. You're my sister in everything but blood, and you are one of the smartest people I know. You will do great."
Morgana ducks her head a little, flushing at the compliment. "Thank you," she says and Arthur can see how much it means to her that he places that much trust in her.
They look at each other for another moment, until Arthur raises an eyebrow. "Is there anything else you want to talk to me about?"
Morgana shakes her head, but then she raises her index finger with a stern expression. "I expect Guinevere to resume her duties as my handmaiden in two days."
Arthur nods solemnly, putting a hand over his heart. "I promise I will find someone by then."
"Good," Morgana replies. "Then I'm not bothering you any longer."
She smiles at Arthur one last time, before turning around and walking down the corridor in the direction they have just come from, while Arthur continues his way towards the training field.
Arthur wipes the sweat from his forehead and lowers his sword, before extending a hand towards his training partner who has stumbled and fallen to the ground after Arthur's last blow. The knight is a young lad named Galahad, with shoulder-length light blond hair, and he has just turned twenty-one last year. [1] While that makes him one year older than Arthur in this time, strictly speaking, Arthur can't help but see Galahad as a boy who is just about to become a man. Galahad has only come to Camelot this spring shortly before he had been knighted, but Arthur can hardly remember fighting at Galahad's side. Presumably the young knight had died during his first year in Camelot, in the other time. Arthur remembers the names of all his knights, but he has seen so many of them die over the years that it eventually became easier to forget their faces.
"You have to pay more attention to your upper cover, Sir Galahad," Arthur instructs the young knight once he's standing on his feet again.
Galahad nods diligently, his face reddened. He gets back into fighting position again, raising his training sword, but Arthur spots Merlin at the edge of the training field.
"I'll be right back," Arthur says and Galahad lowers his sword again, bowing his head respectfully.
"Of course, sire."
Arthur turns and walks to the edge of the training field, where Merlin is waiting for him a little aside from the other knights. This morning after talking to Morgana, Arthur told one of the servants to find Merlin and send him to the training field, because Arthur was sure that the task of finding someone who can be trusted with taking care of Uther was better suited to Merlin than to himself.
"You wanted to see me?" Merlin asks curiously, when Arthur reaches him.
Arthur nods. "Yes. Morgana wants Guinevere back. You need to find someone I can trust to take care of my father within two days."
Merlin arches an eyebrow. "Why me?" he asks, surprised.
"Because you're a servant, Merlin," Arthur replies, fixing Merlin with a lazy smirk. "The other servants talk to you, and they know when someone is just pretending to be a good person. No one bothers to pretend in the presence of a servant after all."
Merlin thinks about that for a moment, before nodding slowly. Arthur allows himself a satisfied smile.
"And remember, I need someone who will respect my father and who won't take advantage of him. Ideally a noble, someone with honor who can't be bribed," Arthur resumes. "Maybe you could even find some kind of spell that reveals a person's true nature. That would allow us to find someone who truly has my father's best interest at heart."
Merlin raises an eyebrow. "Sure, that shouldn't be too difficult," he says mockingly, but Arthur skillfully ignores it. Instead, he grins broadly and claps Merlin on the shoulder.
"Great. I knew I could count on you."
With that, Arthur turns around and walks back to Galahad, who is waiting for him on the training field.
Later that afternoon, Arthur is standing next to Geoffrey, Leon, and Sir Bedivere around the table in the council chamber, bent over a map of the castle and the surrounding area. He's studying the map with a thoughtful expression, when Leon quietly clears his throat.
"Sire," he says, gaining Arthur's attention and nodding in the direction of the door behind Arthur.
Turning around, Arthur sees Merlin coming towards them with a cheerful look on his face. Faced with the impending interruption, Arthur groans internally.
"Merlin, do you need anything?"
Arthur's question was meant to be rhetorical, but Merlin nods, stopping in front of him and flashing him a carefree grin.
"Just a moment of your time, sire. If you could just hold that, please."
Merlin pulls a tin chalice from his shoulder bag and thrusts it into Arthur's hand. The chalice looks like one of the chalices normally used by feasts and is completely empty. Arthur turns it back and forth briefly, before looking at Merlin uncomprehendingly. Merlin pays him no attention, however. He's rummaging through his bag, before pulling out a small leather-bound book.
"I got the book you wanted from the library," he says, lifting the book up.
Arthur has absolutely no idea what Merlin is talking about, but before he can think of something to say, Merlin already continues.
"I will take it to your rooms. On the shelf right next to it, I saw a book with a dragon engraved on the front. It looked pretty scary, but luckily there are no living dragons anymore, are there?" Merlin asks, looking at Arthur expectantly.
"No, of course not. They're all dead," Arthur replies and the moment the words come out of his mouth, a strange sensation overcomes him, and he grimaces, forcefully pressing the chalice back into Merlin's hand.
A satisfied grin appears on Merlin's face. "Of course they are, sire," he says before turning around and walking to the door.
Arthur watches Merlin leave the council chamber with a frown, but he neither has the time nor the inclination to confront Merlin right now, so he shakes his head and turns back to the map on the table.
It's already dark outside when Arthur comes back to his chambers this evening.
"Merlin, I hope you have a good explanation for your behavior this afternoon, or I swear…" Arthur starts, but he stops mid-sentence, when he notices an unknown woman sitting on the table in the anteroom next to Merlin.
A furrow appears between Arthur's brows. The woman is about his father's age with blond hair streaked with several gray strands and small laugh lines around her eyes. Despite her thin mouth and her slightly crooked nose Arthur would say that she's quite attractive and after looking at her for a moment, he thinks he might have seen her before after all. [2]
The woman meets Arthur's eyes and smiles, before standing up and bowing before him. "Good evening, sire."
Arthur looks at Merlin with a raised eyebrow, but Merlin has already risen from his chair.
"Sire," he says, bowing briefly. "Lady Trudith is already here, and I placed the records you requested from the library on your desk. Do you want to have a look at them first?"
Deciding to play along, Arthur acknowledges Lady Trudith's presence with a nod, before following Merlin to the back of his chambers.
"Who is that, Merlin? And why is she in my rooms?" Arthur asks quietly, after joining Merlin in front of the desk.
Merlin spreads the papers lying on the desk apart as if presenting them to Arthur for viewing.
"This is Lady Trudith," he answers in Arthur's thoughts, before indicating for Arthur to touch his hand on the table.
Arthur rolls his eyes and puts his fingers on top of Merlin's hand. "Yes, I heard her name the first time you said it. What I want to know is who she is."
A grin stretches across Merlin's face, and he looks very pleased with himself. "You wanted me to find someone to take care of Uther. Someone who is trustworthy and won't take advantage of him. And Lady Trudith is the perfect choice. She is the oldest sister of the late Sir Dinadan, and she came to the castle four weeks ago along with her nephew Lamorak, who is here to succeed his father and become a knight this year. Her husband died almost ten years ago and she doesn't have children of her own. During the last few years she has been taking care of the family estate, until Lamorak's brother married last fall and took over the administration of their lands. Lady Trudith didn't want to let her favorite nephew go to Camelot alone, so she decided to accompany him in the hope of finding a new purpose herself."
Arthur gives a noncommittal hum. What Merlin just told him explains why Lady Trudith looks familiar, but he didn't know her name. He has probably seen her around the castle.
In the time Merlin and Arthur came from, Sir Dinadan was still a Knight of Camelot and therefore his son Lamorak never came to Camelot to become a knight. In this time, however, Sir Dinadan died from a heart attack very suddenly shortly after Merlin and Arthur's arrival.
"And why do you think we can trust her?" Arthur finally asks, pretending to study the documents on his desk.
"None of the servants had anything bad to say about her, she's always nice to everyone. And she hasn't been in Camelot for long, so she can't be involved in any courtly intrigues yet."
"But the servants can't know her very well yet either because as you just said, she hasn't been in Camelot for long," Arthur counters, before pointedly looking at Merlin.
Merlin's mouth is stretched into a wide grin. "That's why I gave her the chalice while we were talking. The same chalice I also gave you earlier."
Squinting at Merlin dubiously, Arthur shakes his head slightly. "And now you're not making sense anymore, just like this afternoon."
Merlin rolls his eyes. "You wanted me to find a way to tell a good person from a bad person and I did. I found a spell that can be cast on an object, and the person holding this object will feel an almost irresistible urge to let go of the object every time they're not telling the truth or don't believe in what they are saying. And after testing it on you, I know it works."
Now, finally Merlin's strange behavior of that afternoon starts making sense. Merlin put the enchanted chalice in his hands before asking Arthur a question he could only answer with a lie as long as Geoffrey and the knights were in the room with them.
Arthur nods appreciatively. "That was brilliant, Merlin."
"Thank you," Merlin replies, visibly pleased.
Arthur rearranges the documents on the desk, pretending to compare two of them, before his fingers touch Merlin's hand again. "And Lady Trudith has passed so far?"
"I talked with her for some time, always asking her a question when she was holding the chalice. She never put the chalice away suddenly. That means she always told the truth, and even without magic I think she's a very kind and caring person."
"Bring the chalice over here and another one for me and fill them both up," Arthur finally says.
Merlin nods, before doing as Arthur instructed him.
Meanwhile, Arthur sits down on the chair behind his desk, spreading the documents all over the table, before taking his quill and writing something on an empty sheet. After a long moment, he looks up again.
"Lady Trudith, if you would come over here please."
Arthur's intention is to make sure Lady Trudith won't just put the chalice down on a whim, while answering a question. Unlike sitting at the table in the anteroom, the only place for her to set the chalice down is amidst Arthur's documents and that would be extremely rude, so she's only going to do that when forced to act that way by the spell Merlin placed on the chalice.
Lady Trudith stands up and walks over to Arthur's desk, before stopping in front of it. A moment later Merlin comes back with the enchanted chalice for Lady Trudith and another cup that he hands over to Arthur.
"I'm sure Merlin told you why you are here," Arthur begins, and Lady Trudith nods.
"Yes, sire. You are looking for someone to keep your father company."
Arthur nods and takes a sip from his cup. Lady Trudith said 'keep company' and not 'take care of'. She's still holding the chalice in her hands and that means she didn't phrase it that way out of mere politeness.
"That's right," Arthur confirms. "Since the accident he needs someone who stays with him. He sometimes forgets things, and he's often not fully aware of his surroundings. I don't want him to be confined to his rooms, but he can't walk through the castle on his own. I doubt he would get lost, but he has become somewhat susceptible, and I don't want anyone taking advantage of that or forgetting that he's the former king. That means, you would spend every day with him, accompany him everywhere he goes and make sure he's treated according to his status."
"I understand, sire," Lady Trudith replies.
Arthur assesses her for a moment. "And you are willing to do that?"
Lady Trudith nods again, smiling warmly at Arthur. "It would be an honor to spend my time with the former king and make sure he's not ridiculed simply because his mind has failed him. I am honored that you would entrust me with such a task, sire."
"You give me your word that you will never try to take advantage of him for your own gain or the gain of others, and you swear to always treat him with due respect?"
Once again Lady Trudith nods, all the while holding the chalice loosely between her fingers. "Of course, sire."
"And you will not talk to anyone but me about confidential matters my father should reveal in your presence," Arthur says, looking at Lady Trudith meaningfully.
"I give you my word that I will keep everything he tells me to myself and tell you about it if it's something you need to know."
Lady Trudith is still holding the chalice in her hands and Arthur glances briefly at Merlin. He's standing a bit further back and returns Arthur's look with a smug grin.
Arthur suppresses the urge to roll his eyes, instead he looks at Lady Trudith again.
"I believe you, Lady Trudith and I place my father's wellbeing in your hands. I am forever in your debt, and you will always have a place at Camelot's court. I will introduce you to my father tomorrow morning and arrange for you to be assigned your own maid from now on. As for the servants in general, the guards, and knights, you have the right to use them as you see fit, but I would advise you to use these privileges prudently."
Lady Trudith's nods, her expression serious. "Thank you, sire. I promise not to disappoint you."
Arthur's eyes flicker towards the chalice. Lady Trudith is still holding it between her fingers without any indication of distress.
Finally, Arthur nods. "Of that I am sure. I wish you a good night."
Obviously being dismissed, Lady Trudith bows. "Good night, sire."
Merlin steps forward, taking the chalice from Lady Trudith, before bringing her to the door and opening it.
Lady Trudith thanks Merlin with a warm smile. "Good night, Merlin," she says, before leaving the room.
After closing the door, Merlin comes back to Arthur's desk, standing in front of it and looking at Arthur with a smug grin on his face.
"I want you to say it."
"Say what?" Arthur asks innocently, before standing up from his chair.
"That I'm the best," Merlin replies.
Arthur nods. "Merlin, you are the best."
Merlin, however, shakes his head. "Ah, ah, I want you to say it, and mean it."
Arthur walks around the desk and stops in front of Merlin. He leans forward, kissing Merlin softly, before looking at him with an appreciative smile.
"Merlin, you are the best."
"And you love me."
"And I love you," Arthur repeats dutifully.
"And you would perish without me."
Arthur pulls his eyebrows together, tilting his head. "Don't push your luck," he says dryly.
Merlin just grins, before closing the distance between them and pulling Arthur in for another kiss.
Arthur is sitting at the head of the long table in the council chamber, engrossed in a map of Camelot lying amongst several other documents, when the door opens. Looking up, the first thing he notices is a plate of meat, bread, and cheese next to a pitcher of wine at the other end of the table. Frowning for a moment, he remembers Merlin bringing the plate and pitcher into the council chamber at lunchtime. That must have been hours ago.
"Merlin said I would find you here," Morgana says, as she's entering the council chamber. "Still at work I see, and you haven't even touched your lunch."
Arthur sets the map aside, enduring Morgana's reproachful look with a mild smile. During the last couple of years it has mostly been Leon who has tried to make sure Arthur ate something and got at least a few hours of sleep every night.
Arthur shrugs. "A king's duties are never done."
"I guess not," Morgana replies sympathetically, before crossing the council chamber and walking around the table.
Arthur looks at her curiously. Apparently there is something she wants to talk to him about and since he doesn't mind a little break, he leans back in his chair.
"Come, sit down," he prompts, and Morgana pulls out the chair on Arthur's right side. Sitting down, her eyes briefly flicker over the maps and documents on the table, before she looks at Arthur with a concerned expression on her face.
"I saw Lady Trudith taking a walk with Uther in the courtyard this morning. Are you sure she's the right choice? She hasn't been in the castle for long."
"And that's exactly the reason why she's the right choice," Arthur replies. "There hasn't been time for her to owe any favor to the other lords. And that means no one can get to my father through her."
Morgana nods, thinking about it for a moment. "I hope you're right," she finally says.
"Trust me. I know what I'm doing." Arthur offers her a grin and Morgana rolls her eyes.
"You would say that even if you didn't." She's smiling though and Arthur wiggles his eyebrows, causing her to laugh softly.
After a moment she takes a deep breath, before starting to get up again. "I let you get back to your work now."
"Wait a moment," Arthur says, however. "There is something I want to talk to you about."
Arthur has been waiting for the right moment to tell Morgana that Uther is her father too and this moment seems just right to him.
Morgana looks at Arthur in surprise, before sitting down on the chair again.
Arthur regards her silently, pondering how to start, but when Morgana starts eyeing him skeptically, he says the first thing that comes to mind.
"Do you remember how I told you that I trust you and that you are my sister even though we're not of the same blood?" Arthur says, and he waits for Morgana to nod, before continuing. "Well, it turns out that we are related by blood after all and that you are indeed my sister, if only my half-sister."
Morgana stares at him, blinking several times, before shaking her head. "What are you talking about?"
Arthur takes a deep breath, remembering the explanation he has prepared for Morgana. "Yesterday, I told my father about giving you more responsibilities at court and that I want you to help me rule Camelot, and he told me that you deserved it because, after all, you are his daughter. When I asked him how that was possible, he told me he spent a night with your mother Vivienne back when Gorlois was fighting on the Northern Plains during the Great Purge. They were both lonely and one thing led to another. It was just one night. Gorlois returned two months later, but your mother was already pregnant. They never told Gorlois, and when you were born, he thought you were his daughter."
Morgana looks completely dumbfounded, shaking her head in disbelief.
"I can't…" she finally begins, but then breaks off again, exhaling shakily. "Why did he never tell me?
"I think he was too ashamed," Arthur replies. "He was still grieving for my mother at the time, and Vivienne was the wife of his best and most loyal friend. He felt guilty for betraying them both with his weakness."
Morgana is staring at the table in front of her, trying to come to terms with learning that she's Uther's daughter. Arthur watches her carefully. She doesn't look upset, just surprised and a little overwhelmed, but Arthur expected that much.
Finally, Morgana takes a deep breath, before looking at Arthur again. "Thank you for telling me, Arthur. You could have chosen to keep it to yourself."
Now it's Arthur's turn to look surprised. "And why should I have done that?"
A cynical smile appears on Morgana's lips. "Well I'm not the former king's ward anymore. I'm the former king's bastard daughter. And that's a dangerous thing for the king's son, who is wearing the crown as the legitimate heir to the throne."
"And what?" Arthur asks, shaking his head in disbelief. "You're going to gather allies, raise an army, and take the throne for yourself?"
Only when the words have left Arthur's mouth, does he realize what he has just said and a cold shiver runs down his spine. That is exactly what Morgana did in the other time.
The Morgana sitting across him now, however, is staring at Arthur with wide eyes. "No!" she says, horrified, shaking her head. "I would never do something like that."
Arthur looks at Morgana for a moment, and the expression on her face is as sincere as the tone in her voice has been. Nevertheless, Arthur needs a few moments to remember that the woman in front of him isn't the Morgana who betrayed him and plotted to kill him for years. This woman in front of him is his little sister with whom he played hide-and-seek in the courtyard when they were children, and who rode to Ealdor with him and Merlin to defend the village against bandits.
Arthur smiles, and it's a real smile, before shaking his head. "No, of course you wouldn't. I know that. As far as I am concerned I gained a half-sister today whom I already love as my sister, and not a bastard of the late king whom I must fear."
Arthur extends a hand across the table and Morgana grasps it, a grateful smile on her lips. Squeezing her hand gently, Arthur continues.
"I want us to rule Camelot together and that's the reason I'm going to acknowledge you as my father's daughter and crown you Princess of Camelot."
Once again Morgana looks completely surprised and her jaw drops. "Arthur. I… I don't know what to say."
"Say you want to stand by my side," Arthur replies easily and a bright smile spreads across Morgana's face.
"Of course I do," she says happily, but then her expression becomes confused. "But how will you crown me Princess of Camelot? I'm not of age yet."
Arthur shrugs. "I'm the king. I can change the laws of succession if I want to. And I was thinking eighteen summers as the required age for being crowned heir to the throne sounds good. And you have already passed that mark last year. So what do you think, princess?"
Instead of answering, Morgana leans forward, wrapping her arms around Arthur's neck. A bit surprised, Arthur takes a moment to return the hug, but then he tightens her arms around Morgana briefly, before letting go of her again. She's still smiling widely and Arthur knows at that moment that he has done the right thing.
Finally, Arthur becomes serious again in order to tell Morgana the third piece of news. "There is something else I need to tell you."
Morgana's eyebrows draw together in concern, but Arthur quickly shakes his head. "It's nothing bad," he promises and Morgana's features relax again. "Uther also mentioned that Vivienne had another daughter before you, but she died in childbirth. When I asked Gaius about it, he told me that Vivienne's first child was conceived during a ritual of the Old Religion and promised to the High Priestesses of the Triple Goddess. Uther was able to convince Gorlois to have the child killed immediately after birth, but Gaius smuggled the baby out of the castle and brought it to the High Priestesses. He told Uther and Gorlois that the baby died at birth."
Morgana's eyes widen. "I have a half-sister?"
Arthur nods, smiling. He isn't going to tell Morgana anything more about Morgause, but this way she can get comfortable with the idea of having a half-sister. Morgause will come to Camelot sooner or later now that Arthur is king, and he isn't going to give her any leverage to turn Morgana against him.
The conversation with Gaius actually took place last evening, but of course Uther didn't tell Arthur about Morgana or Morgause beforehand.
"Do you know if she's still alive? And where she might be?" Morgana finally asks hopefully.
Arthur shakes his head, however. It's on Morgause to make the first move.
"No, I'm afraid not. But with me being king now and not Uther, she might find her way to Camelot if she is still alive."
Arthur looks at Morgana with an optimistic smile and Morgana nods.
"Thank you, Arthur. You have no idea what it means to me to know I have a family."
"You've always had a family Morgana," Arthur replies, looking at her intently. "And I will always be your family, I promise."
Morgana smiles gratefully. In the case that Morgause comes to Camelot with the intent of turning Morgana against Uther or him, Arthur is confident that she will not succeed this time.
A/N
[1] As Bors please imagine (or google ;D) Ray Stevenson with a gray beard and middle length gray hair.
[2] Imagine Lady Trudith as Meryl Streep
[3] As Galahad, imagine Jamie Campbell Bower with shoulder-length blond hair. (Just like as Arthur in the Camelot TV show 2011)
In canon, it is unknown why Gaius smuggled the infant Morgause out of Camelot and gave her to the High Priestesses of the Old Religion.