Merlin was silent as he walked to Arthur's chambers. The tray was evenly balanced. His mind wandered slightly.
There was so much that he had seen in the two weeks he was here and he couldn't believe that anyone allowed it to continue as long as it did.
When he pushed the door open, he wasn't surprised to see that Arthur was already awake. It happened once that he had to wake Arthur up, every other morning he would already be working.
"Morning, breakfast time." Merlin kept his voice light and airy as he put the tray down in front of Arthur.
Arthur looked up slightly, his eyes were slightly glossy and he pulled a face when he saw the food. "Do we need to do this every day?" His voice was low and croaky.
"Yes, you don't eat enough." Merlin didn't bother to say that Arthur would burn himself out at one point or another.
Arthur put his head back between his arms. "I am not hungry." His voice was muffled.
Merlin gave him a tired smile. "I know, but if you don't eat you are going to become sick and feel even worse than you are feeling at the moment."
For a moment Merlin wanted to use magic to keep Arthur on the calmer side before he decided against it.
Arthur only groaned as he glared at the table. He knows that Merlin had a point but at the same time way bother to eat when everything just tastes like ash.
Merlin was silent for a moment, his hand twitch slightly as he looked at Arthur. He wished he could give Arthur the comfort he needs but at the same time, he knows that it would take a long time for him to get used to eating again.
"You have a quiet day today, just a meeting early this morning." Merlin started to tidy up the room. He didn't hear anything from Arthur, but he just continued with his work. Giving him a chance to start eating himself.
When he heard the chair being pushed back Merlin turned around to check if Arthur had eaten. He almost groaned out loud when he saw that the food was untouched.
"Arthur." Merlin's voice was sharp as he looked at Arthur. He could see the way Arthur's body stiffened.
"You need to eat." Merlin's voice softened slightly. "You are going to burn yourself out and then what?" Merlin didn't expect an answer so when Arthur turned around to face him, he almost took a step back.
"Hopefully it would mean that I don't have to deal with this burden anymore! Hopefully, it means that all of this would end." Arthur's voice broke slightly as he glared at Merlin.
Why did people think they had a right to judge his life when they didn't know anything. They see what they want to see.
Merlin took a step forward, his heartfelt like breaking when he saw how Arthur hunched in slightly, before forcing himself back upright.
"You do know one day you can change that?" Merlin's voice was soft. He wanted to reach out and take the pain away.
Blue eyes met blue eyes and Merlin could feel tears burning in his eyes when he saw the broken look in Arthur's eyes.
"How?" Arthur's voice broke slightly.
"You are loved by the peasants and they would lay their lives down for you Arthur. Uther can't rule for every." Merlin made a step and gently picked up one of Arthur's hands.
His touch was light and it was clear that Arthur would be able to pull away if he wanted to.
Arthur was surprised at how much he wanted to just stay here, Merlin's hand was warm and for some reason, he felt safe.
"Alright." Arthur's voice was slightly resigned.
"Come eat." Merlin kept his voice soft as he looked at Arthur.
Arthur didn't try to move away but just move to the table. He could feel the nauseous slowly forming. He pushed it to the side.
It took him a while to force himself through the food and he felt heavier by the time he was finished. Arthur would almost say that it was worth it when he got an encouraging smile from Merlin.
Merlin bustled around for a few more seconds as he gave Arthur space to get ready for the day.
When Arthur left for the meeting, Merlin sighed. He felt like throwing something or another. His eyes darted to his wrist where a small dragon could be seen.
Merlin knows that the only thing he could do is be there for Arthur, to try and be his friend.
Arthur was quiet as he listens to the council fighting about grain and taxes. He sometimes wonders how they even managed to do anything.
"We need to raise the taxes it is the only way we would be able to…" Before the man could continue Arthur cut him off.
"The people are barely able to afford the tax as it is. Forcing it up will end up forcing them into starvation." Arthur pointed out.
Why are they always so greedy.
"The kingdom needs money." Another councilman pointed out.
Arthur almost groans out loud. "And we need people to keep a kingdom running." He could feel a headache brewing.
"Arthur has a point, we need to think about the best interest of our people as well," Leon interjected.
Arthur signed mentally as he just looked at the people around him. The itch to just leave nagged him and he wondered if he would be able to slip away for the rest of the day.
He was glad when the mid-day bell tolled, and Uther dismissed everyone. Arthur slipped out before Uther could try and talk to him.
With quick and steady hands, he got his mare ready and disappear to the small village where he knew he was at least welcomed.
He might never stay there but at least it gave him a little time to clear his mind.
When he rode into the village he could feel a layer of tiredness leave his body. His eyes brightened slightly when he saw William.
The man smiled brightly when he saw Arthur. "How are you son?" There were crinkles around his eyes and Arthur realised with a pang that the man was getting old.
"I am good and you?" Arthur eased off his hoars. His limps were slightly heavy, but he forced the feeling away.
"Good. We haven't seen you in a while, Arthur." William beckons him over to the hut.
Arthur easily followed him. "Just busy at the castle." Arthur's voice softened slightly; truth be told the last thing he wanted to do was think about the castle.
Arthur could feel a chill settle over him when he entered the hut. He could feel the autumn air turning colder and colder.
"Is there anything you guys need in the village to come through the winter?" Arthur tried to when he could to make sure the people had enough warm furs for the winters and that homes were properly secured.
Uther would try and stop him when he finds out.
"Grain but it is too late in the season now. We would have to make do with what we have." William's voice was soft.
The winter was setting in sooner this year than any year before and a lot of the harvest was damaged.
"I will try and get some grain to your village as soon as possible." Arthur gave William a soft smile. A knot formed around his heart; he knows it would be a fight to get extra resources allocated to the village.
"I know you will son." William smiled at Arthur. Before he frowned slightly. He didn't like the fact that Arthur looked even thinner and paler than the last time he saw him.
"Now do you want to tell me what is bothering you?" William stilled and looked at Arthur properly.
The pale skin, the circles under his eyes, the way his hair was dried out. The way Arthur's cheekbones where more pronounced and the sunken-in eyes.
That is how he expected the people in his village to look like when they don't have enough food to get through the winter, not the heir to the throne.
Arthur could feel tears burning behind his eyes but he forced it away. "Just the same old. Uther is being strange. And doesn't listen like always." Arthur shrugged his shoulders slightly.
There was nothing he could do but at least it helps to sometimes talk about this stuff.
William sighed softly. "But that isn't what is truly bothering you."
A mere statement that Arthur felt compelled to answer. Maybe there would be some help in getting everything off his chest.
"No…" Arthur trailed off biting his lip. There was shame in his posture.
"Uther send a group of us out a few weeks ago to kill a sorcerer village. When we got there a man send us back after killing two men, stating that he would have no problem killing the rest as well." Arthur gave a small smile at that.
William was silent as he listens to Arthur retelling him about how he met someone who might be a friend.
"Son give him a chance, from what you told me he has no altered motives. And it would do you good to have a real-life friend you can speak to daily." William was blunt but he was tired of seeing the weight Arthur was caring around.
Arthur didn't bother to reply to what William said, instead he just ask. "Is there any work I can do here?"
William was silent for a few seconds. "Grandma Betty needs to have a few repairs done at her hut if you don't mind."
Arthur work silently as he listened to the woman talking about her children. He could feel his mind drifting slightly and almost hit his finger with the hammer than the nail.
A smile worked its way onto his face. It was clear from the way the woman was talking that they never had a lot but from the sound of it, there was a lot of love in her house.
When the roof was repaired he made sure that there wasn't a nook or cranny open for the wind to get through.
"All done." Arthur smiled slightly, he could feel the slight strain on his muscles from doing something he doesn't do every day but at the same time the satisfaction from knowing that she would at least sleep warm the winter.
"Thank you, son." The old woman gave him a bony smile and then handed him a small bread.
Arthur could feel his heart speeding up slightly. "I can't take this Ma'am." Arthur's voice was soft as he put it back in her hand.
"Of course you can, it is my way to say thank you." The woman firmly handed it back tucking her hands behind her back when Arthur had a hold on the bread.
A small smile tuck on Arthur's lips at the action. "Thank you, Ma'am." He gave her a small bow.
Without another word, Arthur made his way back to William.
He looked up when Arthur moved into the room. "I see the work helped a little bit?" William leaned back from the stew he was busy to make.
"It did. Thank you for the talk. I needed it." Arthur put the bread onto the table, sitting down next to William on the floor.
"I will try and be more open to him. Hopefully, you would be right and he wouldn't have some other motives." Arthur's hands clenched slightly into his pants. Scratching the skin.
"You do well Arthur, the people know that you are doing your best, but now you need someone on your side. Let him in when you are ready." William squeezed Arthur's shoulder before he stirred the stew again.
Arthur was silent for a long moment. He glanced through the window and he knows that it time to head back home even when his heart longed to stay here.
"I have to go, I will try and get grain here as soon as possible. Thank you for everything William." Arthur lifted his hand in greeting before he went to get his horse.
"See you soon, son." William fell silent staring into the flames. He could feel a coldness settling in his bones.
The ride back to Camelot passed in a blur for Arthur. At the moment all he wanted to do was get back to his room and get some sleep.
When he finally slipped into the room, his heart nearly stopped when he saw Merlin busy to clean his amour.
The younger man looked up when the door closed. There was worry in his blue eyes.
"Hey." Merlin's voice was soft as he looked at Arthur. He wanted to scream out loud at the injustice of the world but he knows that there is nothing that he can do.
Arthur was silent for a second.
"You can leave that, you are dismissed for the evening." Arthur could feel the tiredness forcing him to get some sleep.
Merlin frowned slightly. "All right, Sire." With a slight bow, he left the room.
Arthur changed into his sleeping close before he falls onto the bed, not caring to get under the covers. His eyes fell shut.
I hope everyone is enjoying the story so far. Please tell me what you think of it and constructive criticism is always welcome.
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