Author's note: 14/01/2021:

I hope you are all safe and well!

Please enjoy!

- NifflersAndBooks136

CHAPTER TWO

Arthur drove from Kensington Palace to Buckingham Palace with the windows rolled down. It was a chilly day in London, the spring sunshine offering a promise of warmth that it would not keep. He wore a pair of black slacks and a black crew-neck jumper from Barbour over an Oxford shirt. It was not as formal as King Uther would prefer, but it was not as informal as Arthur would prefer. It reminded Arthur a little of a school uniform.

Arthur swept into the magnificent courtyard of Buckingham Palace, pausing the Jaguar only long enough to step swiftly from it and to throw his keys to an attendant. He said nothing as he made his way through the arches and to the entryway.

A footman bowed his head. "Your Royal Highness, we have been expecting you. Please follow me."

Having lived in Buckingham Palace until he was eighteen, Arthur could have found his way to his father's rooms with his eyes shut. As they ascended the great staircase, it occurred to him that he had yet to hear from The Queen's offices. Usually her press team operated in a mad race with Uther's in order to control their royal son. But, since he had not heard from his mother in several weeks, Arthur had to assume that she was still holidaying in the United Arab Emirates as Hello Magazine had reported two weeks before.

He sighed.

This footman had enough sense not to turn to Arthur and instruct him on how to act in His Majesty's presence, which was more than could be said for some of his father's staff. Usually Arthur could brush it away with mild annoyance, but he was quite certain that if anyone pulled that kind of thing with him today, he would find out if The Crown's criminal immunity stretched to murderous heirs.

They reached a familiar set of grand ornate doors. The footman knocked once, and without waiting for a response, opened them and went inside. Following him in, Arthur noted that the room contained the suspected occupants—The King, and his Private Secretary Sir Guias Bell—but that a third man was with them. Where King Uther and Guias were in their late fifties and late sixties respectively, this man was much younger than either, his dark hair giving a shocking contrast to the greys and whites that The King and Guias sported.

He has rather big ears. Arthur thought to himself as he paused just inside the doorway and bowed.

"His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales, Your Majesty."

"Arthur, I am so glad that you could come, although we were expecting you half an hour ago."

Arthur went to his father and bowed his head again. "There was traffic along The Strand," He said, naming the first street that came to mind. "I do apologise."

"You are dismissed," Uther was speaking to the footman, who bowed his head again and left, closing the door behind him. "Please," Uther said, motioning to the chairs. "Sit."

Guias and the dark-haired man had stood upon Arthur's appearance, but now they took their seats in two straight-backed chairs that faced the ones Arthur and his father took.

"Before we begin," Uther said, looking to Guias, "Would you introduce your assistant, Guias? I think it would be best if everyone were acquainted."

Guias motioned to the man beside him. "Your Royal Highness, I present Mr. Merlin Emrys. He has been my assistant for some months now, although as His Majesty has highlighted, you have not had the chance to meet. Merlin, I expect you need no introduction for His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales."

For the first time, a pair of cobalt blue eyes met Arthur's. "Your Royal Highness," Merlin murmured. His eyes sparkled devilishly, and it led Arthur to wonder what he had done that was so funny.

"Pleased to meet you." Arthur found himself saying, although he wasn't sure about Merlin, or the slight smirk that graced his full, pouty lips.

If Uther noticed Merlin's insolence, he offered no reprimand. Instead, he stood—bringing the recently seated trio to their feet once more—and went over to a desk. He collected some newspapers, as well as a printed sheet, and when he returned he handed them all to Arthur.

"A few of these I showed you yesterday, but here's everything that has shown up in the press since your school friend's article was published."

"You will notice, Sir, that The Sun and The Mirror, and The Express have all picked up. My tip at The Telegraph says that they are looking to publish something on it but are sending it through to their legal team to make sure we cannot criticise it."

Arthur's heart sank as he scanned the papers. "What do you expect me to do about it? If I get into a pissing contest with Simon Tomilton over who did what and when, it'll either make me look guilty—which by the way, I am—or it'll make me look like some bigoted ass who finds being called gay—" He ignored Uther's scowl, "—a huge insult. And we hardly need that, people already think the Monarchy is outdated as it is. We don't need them accusing us of discrimination."

"Sir," Merlin spoke up and Arthur looked at him. He stood and tapped the sheet of paper that Uther had included in the armload of papers. "I have taken the liberty of drafting a press statement which I think covers all the bases."

"You?" Arthur was taken aback. He looked at Guias, "You think you can assign something as important as this to one of your fucking assistants?! What if it got out? Merlin has only been here a few months, as you said. How do you know you can trust him with this?"

"We can trust him," Uther's voice was like steel. "Because he is no longer Guias' assistant, as of this morning I have appointed him to be your Private Secretary."

Arthur gaped. Until now, he'd insisted that he didn't need a Private Secretary and that the whole damn practice was outdated. Instead, he kept staff and offices at Buckingham Palace and managed them himself. He didn't need some bloody Private Secretary to manage his affairs.

He started to say as much, but King Uther held up his hand. "Enough, Arthur. It has become apparent," His eyes fell on the papers still resting in Arthur's arms. "That you cannot be left to manage your own affairs, and because of that your preferences have been left to slip through to the media. While I have nothing to say about common people who chose to live their life in that way," If Uther had not obviously been so agitated, Arthur would have called him out on that bullshit claim, "You cannot be allowed to. You have a throne to inherit, and a line that stretches back nearly a thousand years to protect. Need I remind you—"

"—That you can directly trace my ancestry to William The Conqueror, yes, I know." Arthur closed his eyes for a moment and reopened them. "What do you expect me to do about this, Father? I have already told you that any action on our part may blow up in our faces."

"I expect," Uther said, drawing himself up. "I expect for you to accept who you are—and to be married."

For a beat, there was complete silence. "I'm—I'm sorry?" Arthur blinked. "Marry who? When?"

"Who is still something we must decide upon." Uther smiled, "But Merlin has worked with Guias this morning to produce a list of suitable names. Together you and he can narrow it down and reach out to the shortlist to arrange meetings. Whoever is most suitable from these interviews is someone you will begin to court. I expect you and her to announce an engagement by the autumn."

"Father, it's March. You expect me to become engaged in six months?"

"I see no reason that you can't be married next year. I would prefer a marriage before Christmas or immediately after the new year, but I imagine that the palace staff would have concerns with asking so many people to stand in the cold for so long. If you act quickly however and announce an engagement during the summer, we may be able to plan a ceremony for November."

"Have you spoken to The Queen about this?"

"As a matter of fact," Guias cut in, "We have, and she agrees with The King that this is a matter of the upmost importance and that it should be a matter that is closed as soon as possible."

Arthur was shocked. It was the first time in his life that his mother had agreed with his father at all. For a moment he was speechless, and then he remembered the press release that Merlin had written.

"Is this information going to be included in the press release? 'Arthur's getting married because we need him to put his cock in the right hole'?"

"Your Royal Highness!" Guias was shocked, "I would thank you to not speak so crudely in His Majesty's presence."

This time, Arthur was sure that Merlin was smirking. When Arthur's pale blue eyes met his cobalt ones, they sparkled at him. He scowled—a perfect copy of his father's scowl—and looked down to read the press release.

A STATEMENT BY THE PRIVATE SECRETARY TO THE PRINCE OF WALES

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales is very grateful for the support that has been lent to him by the public. In his work with charities of all kinds, including those that support LGBT+ Youth, he has found nothing but acceptance and warmth, and has always sought to convey those sentiments in return.

The Prince of Wales is aware that there is significant curiosity about his private life and affairs. The Prince of Wales recognises that the silver lining of this curiosity is that it allows him to have a voice that few others are ever given. It is his ambition to use this voice for the greater good, and for many years he has sought to develop a professional, mutually respectful, relationship with the media to achieve this ambition. However, as well as promoting causes and messages that are important to The Prince of Wales, this interest has also led to the regular publication of stories about him that have been fictionalised and stretched.

The Prince of Wales is aware that his old schoolmate, Simon Tomilton, has recently claimed that they shared an intimate relationship during their school days. While The Prince of Wales acknowledges that he knew Simon Tomilton while at Eton, he has asked for this statement to be published in order to remind the media of His Royal Highness' deep regard for their professional relationship, and for the principles it is based on.

The Prince of Wales would like to first of all convey his support for the LGBT+ Community, and to convey his disappointment in the media for publishing Mr. Tomilton's claims and for portraying them with the intent of shocking the public. "Members of the LGBT+ Community are incredibly brave group and should never be made to feel that they are shocking and unusual. I call upon the media to immediately dash this rhetoric from their reporting, and to support the LGBT Community in their fight for equality and recognition." The Prince of Wales stated this morning.

Arthur couldn't help it. He was impressed. Merlin had pulled off a miracle—it was a statement inclined towards denial and turned the question of discrimination towards the media. It would keep the hungry media hounds at bay—for now. But in order to fully support the words that Merlin had subtly inclined to indicate a denial, Arthur saw the necessity of Uther's plan. Speculation would still continue among the tabloids until Arthur announced an engagement.

He passed the statement to Merlin. "See it is published right away."

Merlin bowed his head. "Sir."

Arthur looked at The King, who watched him expectantly. He took a deep breath, weighing the impact of his next words.

"All right." He said, putting the newspapers down on the chair and standing to meet his father's eyes. "I accept. I will get married."

The Crown comes first. Arthur did not have to be first in line to know that this was the case. At the end of the day, everything—everything came second to The Crown and the institution he represented. The words weighed heavily on him, but he knew that he had no other choice. He had been born with an exceptional responsibility. Royals before him, and royals after him, would sacrifice their happiness in order to maintain The Crown. It was a position of extraordinary privilege, but it asked extraordinary sacrifice.

His destiny had arrived.