Arthur didn't sleep that night. Instead he lay awake all night considering what to do next. Part of him didn't want to acknowledge what Merlin had done. It wasn't his place to die for Arthur's kingdom, to take the Prince's place. He really had no right to be on the journey to begin with, and yet, a small part of him had to admit that he'd been relieved when Merlin had insisted on coming. That in itself infuriated him. When they'd left, Arthur had been okay with Merlin's company because he'd believed that Merlin would be the one going home afterwards. Arthur had appreciated Merlin's support as he was going to what he thought would be his own demise. And then Merlin had ruined his plans.
Of course, Arthur had to admit that Merlin had been doing that since they day they met, so what had he expected really?
Arthur sighed and tried to get into a more comfortable position.
What had he been thinking? Arthur all but growled his frustration as he tried to punch his pillow into a better position. Merlin had no right to intervene like that. He really was an idiot.
A brave idiot.
A selfless idiot.
A reckless, annoying, honest, honourable idiot.
But still, an idiot.
Arthur shook his head as if he could dislodge these disconcerting thoughts with that simple motion. But they were persistent. Almost as annoying as the young man they were about.
Merlin the idiot.
He should have been a knight.
Arthur froze.
In anyone else, those traits would have been the traits of a knight. Bravery, selflessness, honour. And hadn't he decided already that knights were made though their actions not born into it by a title? He'd knighted Gwaine, Lancelot, Elyan, and Percival. Commoners who by law had no right to take up the mantle of knighthood and yet they were some of his best and most loyal. They were respected by both the lords and the common folk. It had taken a lot of work for some of the older, stuffier nobles to accept them, but in the end, they had won their respect through their actions.
Looking at it that way...Merlin's actions were the same, no, even more noble and pure. Merlin was almost a total waste with a weapon, not for lack of trying on Arthur's part, and yet, in situations where even his bravest knights would have hesitated, Merlin had acted, without sword or shield or weapon or defense of any kind. At the time, Arthur had attributed it to stupidity and a total lack of self-preservation, but perhaps it wasn't. Perhaps, this whole time, his servant had been the bravest and most selfless of them all.
That certainly brought a new perspective. Merlin the brave instead of Merlin the idiot. Merlin the hero.
Merlin the knight.
Arthur laughed.
Merlin? A knight? He'd have botched it for sure.
And yet, something about it felt right.
Arthur sat up. The idea that had been forming quietly in the back of his head for the last several hours had finally presented itself fully formed. If this had been anyone else, any of his nobles or knights, he would honour them. Why not Merlin? Wasn't great service to the kingdom how the noble families had been formed to begin with?
Lord Merlin.
Arthur laughed. It sounded ridiculous. And yet, it felt right.
Arthur got out of bed and went to his desk. Lighting the candles there, he sat and started to write. He knew the kingdom and it's borders better than anyone except maybe Geoffrey, the Court Historian. Grabbing quill and paper, he swiftly wrote out a draft of his proposal.
There was a small tract of unassigned land between Camelot and Cenrid's kingdom. It was mostly forest and few people lived there. It was land they had passed through when they had gone to help Hunith, Merlin's mother, in Ealdor. It would make a nice tract of land for a new noble. Arthur smirked. Lord Merlin. His servant would have hated it. He would whine and complain and say that Lords were all stuffy old men who only knew how to speak for hours without saying anything of value. Well, Merlin could certainly talk for hours, so he met that requirement. Of course, he would sometimes offer something of value, but still.
Land. A title. And a knighthood. Merlin would have all three. Arthur would make sure of it.
Arthur was still writing furiously, a speech now to announce the new Lord and knight to the realm, when George arrived with his breakfast. Arthur ate without really seeing the food and dressed in a rush as he realized he would need to confirm some things with Geoffrey. It had been at least a few decades since Camelot had created a new fiefdom within its borders and he had to do this right.
The old Court Historian and all around record keeper was just arriving in his study when Arthur reached him. Geoffrey stared at the Prince Reagent in surprise and mild confusion. Arthur had always avoided the library Geoffrey considered his home.
"Can I help you, sire?" he asked, his hand still on the handle of the door as if he'd forgotten he was in the middle of unlocking it.
"Yes," Arthur told him and got straight to the point. "I need to confirm the process for the creation of the new Lordship."
Geoffrey stared at him. "Well, sire," he began "It's not a simple matter. There are many considerations to be made." He paused, curious as to Arthur's intentions. "May I ask why?"
Arthur grinned. "Only if you swear to keep it secret until everything is settled."
Geoffrey blinked a few times. The grin on Arthur's face was one he hadn't seen since the young man was a child.
"Of course," he replied automatically and suddenly remembered the still closed door. He opened it and bowed the Prince inside.
Arthur waited until Geoffrey had closed the door and they had both taken seats at the desk to explain his plan.
Geoffrey heard out the Prince's intentions with hidden surprise and slowly growing delight. Geoffrey had been up late the previous evening, choosing to spend his time with Gaius, his oldest friend. He knew how much the boy, Merlin, had meant to the Court Physician and knew how much the older man was hurting with the loss. They had spoken often about the young man that Gaius had come to see as a son. Geoffrey knew there was something special about Merlin.
Geoffrey knew. But until last night, he hadn't really understood. Yes, the boy was useful and occasionally clever, and he certainly wasn't intimidated by nobility like most commoners, especially those born in small villages, which had always seemed odd to him until last night.
"Do you remember Balinor?" Gaius had asked unexpectedly as the two men sat before the hearth in Gaius' chambers. They had been talking quietly about anything and everything, part of Geoffrey's attempt to distract his old friend from his loss.
"I do," Geoffrey admitted hesitantly. It was unusual for Gaius to be so open about events considered treasonous.
"I helped him to escape," Gaius admitted. Geoffrey nodded. He'd known as much though neither man had ever dared voice this fact aloud. "I sent him to Ealdor to hide in Cenrid's Kingdom. To Hunith." Both men were silent. Geoffrey making connections and Gaius getting up the courage to say what he meant. "Merlin was his son."
Geoffrey swallowed hard. This, perhaps, explained Gaius' protectiveness of the boy. Afterall, being the son of a dragon lord made the boy a dragon lord. What a dangerous game they had been playing beneath the King's nose. He wondered briefly is the prince knew. They had defeated the Great Dragon. And now that he thought about it, hadn't Merlin gone with the Prince, one of the few to survive the ordeal? Then again, perhaps not. The king would have known if the Prince had hidden from him how the Dragon was defeated.
"Merlin was," Gaius paused for so long that Geoffrey was unsure he was still awake. "Strong," he finally finished. "Stronger than any other. There's never been another like him." Gaius glanced at this friend, wondering if he would make the connection. "Not in all the books you've ever read."
Geoffrey frowned slightly. Ordinarily, the two avoided any hint at the full extent of Geoffrey's reading. He had read things that the King had ordered destroyed in the Great Purge and had an incredible memory. He could have recited many of those books word for word if needed. He knew much of the dragon lords. He knew that most dragon lords grew into their strength, with the greatest being the most elder. For Gaius to say that this young man was stronger than all those he had read about felt like a farce, or the wish of the old mourning the death of the young. And yet, if Merlin had helped to defeat the Great Dragon, he must have been quite strong. The older the dragon, the more strength was needed to command them and the Great Dragon had been quite old.
"His strength will be missed," Geoffrey replied. "Most strongly by you, my friend."
Gaius shook his head. "No," he replied, "Not by me. By Arthur."
Geoffrey considered this quietly and eventually had to agree. The Prince would miss Merlin dearly, not that he would ever admit to it. And yet, here he was in Geoffrey's chambers talking about making Merlin a Lord with lands, a title, and a knighthood.
Geoffrey smiled softly as Arthur explained which lands he intended to name as Merlin's.
"He'll need a family crest," Geoffrey admitted when Arthur had finished laying out his plans. Arthur paused, his expression turning thoughtful.
"Do you have any suggestions?" Arthur asked. He was familiar with crests, but had never considered the thought that must go into creating a new one.
"You could use an old crest," Geoffrey suggested. "There are many that are no longer in use." Geoffrey stood and fetched a book of crests, flipping through pages to show Arthur what was available. After about a half hour, Arthur shook his head. None of these seemed to fit.
"He should have a new crest," Arthur said at last. "One that represents what he did, not what others he never knew did." Geoffrey considered this and nodded.
"In that case," he stood and retrieved yet another book. "This contains crest elements, their meanings, use, and histories." Arthur frowned. This was going to take a bit longer than he had anticipated. "You are welcome to take it with you and browse. Unless you would prefer that I come up with something."
"No," Arthur's protest was almost too fast. "No, I would prefer to do this myself, Geoffrey. Thank you."
The Court Historian nodded and passed over the tome. Arthur took it and stood. He needed to be helping organize the people's return to their homes now that the danger from the doracha was past.
"If you need anything else, sire," Geoffrey said as the Prince started toward the door.
"I will let you know," Arthur replied, his mind already on the rest of his daily duties.
As such, it wasn't until after the evening meal that he was able to start looking through the book Geoffrey had given him.
Arthur wasn't sure where to start and so it took almost all night to decide. His first thought had been a merlin, but he didn't feel that a bird of prey really suited the young man who, while outspoken and unable to hold his tongue to save his life, had never once tried to take the spotlight and certainly didn't look dangerous like a bird of prey ought. In fact, he couldn't think of a single creature that fit Merlin. He wasn't a predator. He wasn't fierce, at least not at first. Merlin was...
Ridiculous.
Honest to the point of stupidity.
He was loyal, but in his own unique way.
Arthur couldn't decide. And so he turned his attention to other parts of the crest.
Colors for example. Thinking about Merlin, his mind was drawn to red an blue. The two colors the younger man had most often worn together. According to Geoffrey's book red symbolized a warrior or martyr while blue was truth and loyalty. While not a warrior, Merlin had definitely become a martyr. And he was one of the most truthful and loyal men Arthur had ever met.
It would be red and blue.
Arthur flipped through a section on flowers and fruit.
Apple: Felicity and peace
Bay leaves: poet or victor's laurel
Cypruss: death
Nope. Arthur jumped down a bit.
Oak tree: great age or strength
Arthur snorted.
Rose: mark of a seventh son
Well, Merlin certainly wasn't that. Merlin, like Arthur, had grown up without siblings. Or in Arthur's case at least, not knowing that he had one.
Arthur skipped to objects.
Anchor: hope
Bells: power to disperse evil spirits
Chains: reward for service
Arthur made a note of that one. It seemed to fit.
Harp: tempered judgement
Plume of feathers: willing obedience
Arthur laughed aloud. That was the exact opposite of his overly opinionated servant. He continued on.
Wings: protection
Arthur paused. Protection. That's what Merlin had done. He had protected the kingdom. Protected Arthur.
That was it. The perfect way to honor Merlin. He would use the crest to make it perfectly clear what Merlin had done.
Quickly, Arthur sketched the crest. Blue shield and gold wings surrounding his own emblem, the red Pendragon crest. His father would have forbidden it but it felt right. By placing the dragon within those protecting wings, he was telling the world exactly what Merlin had done for him, Arthur, and for the whole kingdom.