The Once and Future King (S02E02)

Part 9

Previously: "Merlin, you are to stay. I need to discuss some situations with my son that may take a while, so you are to stay and fill our goblets when summoned." Uther states, Merlin nods his head in understanding and closes the throne room door, Uther invites his son to sit next to him and he does, Merlin standing a good distance away from the Prince admiring him like he always did when he was in the same room as Arthur.

"Now, the first thing I want to discus with you Arthur is why you lied to me about saving a village from a vicious beast and entered the competition instead?" Uther asked his son, placing his arms on the table and cupping his hands together in front of him.

"It was because my knights were going easy on me just because I was the prince, pretending I was someone else would have been the only way to win because I was good, not because the knights were holding back." Arthur explained. Uther seemed to consider his son's actions, then summon Merlin over to fill his goblet. Merlin walked over to the king.

"Well…I can understa-" Uther stopped mid sentence, when Merlin was filling Uther's goblet, his sleeves went up his arms and recognized the very familiar silver bracelet that was around Merlin's wrist, when he watched Merlin walk back to his former position, he noticed he was wearing a Pendragon red neckerchief.

"Father?" Arthur asked. Uther sock his head, attention back on his son.

"Sorry…as I was saying, I can understand your reasons for hiding who you were, I probably would have done the same thing." Uther explained. "Now, the next thing I wish to discuss is that wolf at the tournament. You said he belonged to a friend of yours. Who is this friend?" Uther asked seriously, Arthur didn't know what to say, if he told his father that the wolf belonged to Merlin, would he think Merlin had magic and kill him. He couldn't allow that.

"Your Majesty, if I may…Arthur doesn't know the owner, I do. Arthur just said that because he didn't want you to overreact knowing he didn't know the owner specifically." Merlin lied, Arthur and Uther look at Merlin, and Arthur couldn't help but smirk slightly. *Always trying to protect me Merlin* Was the thought that crossed Arthur's mind.

"Very well, could you please inform me of the man that owns the wolf?" Uther asked, quite nicely actually, which seemed to put Arthur and Merlin off a little.

"If I may ask, what will you do to him once he is found?" Merlin couldn't help but ask. *Is he really considering telling father he owns Shadow?* Arthur thought, knowing Shadow was Merlin, but nether of them were going to say anything to Uther yet, that was something that was going to take time and patience.

"I wish to ask him if we can use his magnificent creature to protect Camelot." Uther explained, Merlin and Arthur both look at the king in shock.

"But when he was at the tournament, you wanted him to be destroyed." Arthur stated in confutation.

"Yes I did, but I thought about what you said about the wolf, then it hit me. If that wolf was really as obedient as you said and a creature of magic, we could us him to intimidate those that visit us and get him to fight beside us in wars and fight for us when other magical creatures attack us." Uther explained, with a smile on his face at the thought of a creature with such power. "So, who owns the wolf?" Uther asked once again.

"Well…" Merlin clears his through. "I…do…" Merlin stated softly. Uther smiled at this.

"At least now I know the man who owns the wolf is loyal to the thrown of Camelot." Uther stated kindly, Merlin was really starting to feel creeped out, why was Uther being so nice to him. "Could you go fetch your wolf and bring him hear for me to see him?" Merlin nods his head with uncertainty and leaves.

The moment Merlin left the room Uther looked at his son with a soft smile. "So he is the one you have chosen to spend your life with?" Uther asked his son, Arthur looked at his father in shock.

"Is that why you were being so kind?" Arthur asked in surprise.

"Yes, that and I actually really like the boy, he's very brave and loyal, especially to you Arthur. I am happy you have finally found someone you love, but I am quite disappointed that you have chosen someone who can't have children. So to make up for it, I will allow you both to be together, I will even allow both to marry as long as you agree to let me find someone to carry a child for you to continue the Pendragon bloodline." Uther told his son, seeming to be generally pleased.

"Are…are you serious?" Arthur breathed, I bit stunned at his father's words, why was he being so reasonable.

"Of cause I am Arthur, I would not joke about something like this." Uther stated seriously.

Arthur jumped out his seat, almost knocking it over, and hugs his father, sending Uther into a state of shock. "Thank you! You don't know how much this means to me!" Arthur proclaimed. Uther returns his sons hug, struggling to remember the last time he sure Arthur this happy. Arthur pulled away and sat down when there was a knock at the door with the biggest smile on his face, Uther couldn't help but smile too, Arthur reminded him of himself when he fell in love with Arthur's mother.

"Enter." Uther stated, Neerg came into the room with Shadow by his side, now they could see how big Shadow actually was, he came up to Neerg's hips, and they were sure is he was to stand on his hind legs, he'd be taller than Neerg. When Arthur turned to seem Neerg, he couldn't help but shake his head, know the difference between the two Merlin's he couldn't help himself when Merlin fooled people, but then again going from blue to green eyes wasn't much of a change. Then again, he noticed. But that was probable because he was in love with Merlin, and when its true love, even if the copies looked exactly alike, he'd be able to tell the difference, because no one was like Merlin. "Ah, so this is the creature of magic?" Neerg nods his head with a smile.

"His name I Shadow." Neerg stated with pride.

Uther nods his head. "How loyal is he?" Uther had to know for sure that Shadow wouldn't betray them.

"He only listens to my commands, if anyone else tries to command him to do something, he'll just growl at them." Neerg explained with a smile, Uther seemed to like the response.

"May I?" Uther gestures to Shadow.

"Of cause, Shadow…King Uther." Neerg introduced, Shadow looked to the king and bows his head in respect. Uther smiles as the respect, he stands up and walks over to Shadow squatting down and letting the wolf smell his hand first before he stroked him on the head.

"Merlin…do you love my son?" Uther asked casually, like it wasn't a big deal.

Neerg blushes at the question. "What?!" Neerg's face goes cherry red.

"Merlin, you are wearing a bracelet Arthur said he would one day give to the love of his life. That is why I'm asking you, do you love my son?" Uther explains pointing to the bracelet on his wrist. Neerg's face gets three shades darker if even possible, Shadow lets out a couple of gruff that sound like he chuckles, even though he too was blushing, luckily his was hidden by his fur.

"Y-yes, very much." Neerg stutters, Uther and Arthur chuckle at his reaction.

"Then Merlin…" Uther stands up and walks to Neerg, placing a hand on his shoulder. "I give you both my blessing, I can't remember the last time I sure Arthur as happy as you make him but I believe it was a very long time ago, and I don't want to stand between you both. So I give you and Arthur my blessing." Uther tells the black haired man that smiled instantly.

"Thank you." Neerg whispers.

Uther sits back down. "Now, let us resume to our discussions." Neerg went to stand back over by his place. "Merlin, you are to sit next to Arthur from now on, and I will not hear any arguments." Uther stated, Neerg smiled, as did Arthur. Merlin took the seat next to Arthur and Arthur held his hand, Merlin sat next to Neerg in his wolf form smiling as he too felt the worm sensation that was Arthur's hand on his paw. And at that moment, the age of Albion became closer to coming true than ever before. It would seem, when the Grate Dragon said that he and Arthur were two sides of the same coin, he didn't mean as master and servant, he didn't mean as the closest of friends, he meant it as them become a pare. The age of Albion couldn't have been closer to coming true then in the moment their hands touched as blessed and excepted lovers.

To Be Continued

By the way, I think this stopped being (S02E02) somewhere in this chapter, so from this chapter on I'm writing my own version of Merlin and not just my own version of (S02E02), so the title at the top of the story will stop have (S02E02) at the end so viewers don't get confused. Thank you all for reading and staying with the story for this long