(Please see profile for explanation of what's happened since my last update)
Summary: Merlin gets an official role and Arthur and Gwen have a happy surprise.
"For all we've accomplished in this past year I continued to find myself plagued by two questions. How do I convince magic users that they could have dealings with us without having a person who understood them in a position of some visible authority? Secondly, what authority could I give the only person who I would trust in such a position when that person had made it very clear he was not going to be a court figurehead.
"As I should be used to by now, an answer to this dilemma was provided quite unexpectedly. By my mother no less."
The members of the round table stirred with interest.
"Geoffrey."
"Yes, Your Highness?"
"You are an expert on all aspects of Camelot's history?"
"I'd like to think so, Sire."
"Decrees and provisions made by all members of the royal family are documented and studied for the purpose of preserving the history and integrity of the kingdom. You've committed such records to memory?"
"To the absolute best of my ability."
"And why have you done so?"
"It is my job Sire."
"To a certain extent, yes. But your dedication to your craft far exceeds that of duty. What makes your role special to you?"
The old man stroked his chin. "Because it is our duty, if you'll pardon the expression. To the past, the present, and the future. How will the generations that follow us avoid repeating history if they do not have a history to learn from?"
"And do you believe there are as many lessons from the past worth copying as there are to those to be avoided?"
"I should think your history lessons as a child are enough to provide an answer to that, My Lord."
Merlin snorted and Arthur allowed himself to smile. Bowing his head in a 'point acknowledged' gesture the king reached into his pocket. "That said then, I'm sure you are familiar with the nature of this."
If he hadn't been watching so closely Arthur might have missed the faint intake of breath that passed the elderly recorder's lips as well as the faint sheen to his eyes.
"Well. Ahem. I must say I never imagined I'd see one of these again in this life."
"According to my source, a person who carried this sigil was appointed by my mother to serve the kingdom in areas where magical guidance was required. To solve problems on her behalf that only magic could solve."
"A very accurate if brief summary my lord."
"What kind of title is connected with this position?"
"There isn't one, officially. In the past sigil bearers used only the title they were born with or had otherwise acquired. The only thing it guaranteed them was recognition as a protector of the royal family," he paused, "and being under their protection in return."
"Precisely. They act in the crown's stead just like any knight. Fully trusted to use their knowledge and abilities to resolve problems that those of us without magic are unable to understand or where our presence would only serve to make a bad situation worse. In times past those who filled these roles were often kept anonymous. However in the interest of maintaining trust, Merlin and I have agreed that his position should be made common knowledge. I don't think I need to inform any of you of the consequences that would be metered out should he suffer as a result of this revelation."
The council's silence confirmed their acknowledgement of the warning.
"Now I assume you have questions."
A few hands raised.
"Sir Leon?"
"Sire, will these…guardians be serving alongside the knights? Does this mean we will be having a new batch of recruits to train?"
"No. If in the future young men with magical affinity wish to become knights we will form a new training regimen for them. However the men and women who serve alongside Merlin are in a different category. They will have no connection to the army."
"The kinds of matters we'll be dealing with are not likely to be ones where the more mundane, if you'll pardon the word, methods of fighting will do any good. With any luck they'll be ones where fighting at all will be irrelevant."
"And I assume they will be under your authority directly?" Gwaine asked.
"Actually this group has always fallen under the supervision of the queen. Both Guinevere and I will be working closely with our newest team, but unless she is indisposed all handling of assignments and reports will fall under her jurisdiction."
"Is it wise to put such a delicate political matter into the hands of a w- into the hands of anyone but yourself Sire?"
"There is substantial precedent," Geoffrey interceded before his colleague found out just what it meant to be in the hands of the queen. "Sharing leadership roles shows the king and queen to be a united front in the interests of all the people. And magic has always shown a strong favoritism for women. They are slower to resort to using it for their own gain and they have a much more natural affinity for it."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean historically there have been many more powerful female sorcerers than male. Why I couldn't say."
"Life," Merlin spoke up. All eyes turned to him as he explained. "Magic has always been tied to the lifeforce of the world. It is strongest in places that life is abundant, where it's formed and where it thrives. Women encapsulate that role in humans. They give life."
Guinevere smiled and not so subtly moved her left hand to rest on her stomach.
Arthur smiled also. "Yes, thank you for the reminder. As I said in the future this role will grow and expand as more join its cause. But if you must define Merlin's position, define it as this. He is the guardian of my family. That is he protects my life, but also the life of my wife and queen. The mother of our child."
"You're sure you had nothing to do with this…new development?"
"Gaius I will gladly meddle in innumerable parts of Arthur's life. However, any part that involves him attempting to give Gwen a child I stay far, far away from."
"I merely wondered."
"No. You've told me often enough to learn from the mistakes of others. If anyone intervened on their behalf it wasn't me. I'm choosing to believe it was only a matter of timing. As a physician you know better than anyone how difficult such a thing can be to get right."
"As you say. For a long time, I must say that given the circumstances of his own conception I feared Arthur would be unable to father a child without the intervention of magic. I am greatly relieved to hear that is not the case. Of course it will be several months before we can rest easy. Bringing life into the world is a dangerous task."
"One that women manage to do successfully everyday and have done long before there was access to midwives or herb women or court physicians."
"True. Still…"
Merlin settled a hand on his mentor's shoulder. "I'll watch over them, Gaius. I promise. Nothing will happen to Gwen. Or to Camelot's prince."
"Prince? Are you sure?"
"Oh definitely." Merlin smirked, pouring out two glasses of their best dinner wine.
Gaius' tired face lit up with a grin as he accepted his cup. "Do you plan on informing the king and queen of this little fact?"
"Only if they ask."