Season 1, Episode 3: The Mark of Nimueh
Arthur wanted to throw something at Merlin. Preferably something sharp and point, though he wasn't exactly sure how that would be better than just letting his father lock the idiot up. Still, he had no idea how barging into a council meeting and proclaiming one was a sorcerer was in any way supposed to be a good idea.
"Gwen is not the Sorcerer," Merlin continued, panting as if he'd run a mile, which probably meant he'd climbed the stairs. "I am!" And Arthur's desire to throw something increased tenfold.
"Merlin!" Gaius stood abruptly. "Are you mad?" Though Arthur was sure he already knew the answer to that question.
"I cannot let her die for me," Merlin replied, which didn't make a whole lot of sense to Arthur but then when did Merlin make a whole lot of sense. "I place myself at your mercy."
"He doesn't know what he's talking about," Gaius turned to appeal to Arthur's father.
"I do," Merlin insisted, and Arthur decided he was definitely going to throw something at Merlin later. This was simply unacceptable. It didn't matter how much Merlin was pinning after Gwen, he didn't need to be throwing himself into some fire pit for her. It was simply unacceptable.
And he ignored the little voice in the back head the violently wished it was him, Merlin was do something like that for. It sounded suspiciously like Jealousy, and Arthur didn't get Jealous.
"Then arrest him," Uther said, and Arthur decided he'd better step in before there was no Merlin to throw something at later.
"Father, please," he said. "I can't allow this. This is madness." He stepped around the table, moving closer to Merlin, who was now being held between two guards. "There's no way Merlin is a Sorcerer."
"Did you not hear him?" his father asked.
"Yes," Arthur answered.
"He's admitted it," his father insisted, but he didn't—couldn't understand. He didn't know Merlin, didn't know how fundamentally good he was. Sure, he complained and was never on time and didn't always get his work done, but he was a good person. A better person than Arthur could ever hope to be. And he made Arthur hope to be better just by being around him.
There was simply no way Merlin was one of the vile corrupt sorcerers who his father had told him about. If sorcerers were all evil, then Merlin just could not be one of them.
"He saved my life remember," Arthur answered.
"Why should he fabricate such a story?" his father asked, and Arthur hesitated. Was his father going to make him say it, make him admit to everyone what neither him nor Merlin wanted to?
"As Gaius said, he's got...a grave... mental disease," Arthur said, hoping his father would leave well enough alone.
"Really?" his father leaned forward, looking eager, and Arthur wanted to throw something at him now.
"He's in love," Arthur said, the words coming out all in a rush.
"What?" Merlin answered.
"With Gwen."
"I am not!" Merlin insisted, and Arthur ignored how his heart did a little tap dance inside his chest at the words. Leave it to Merlin to be in denial after he'd been ready to sacrifice himself.
"Perhaps she cast a spell on you," Arthur's father said, and Merlin stared at him, either unwilling or unable to say anything else.
"Merlin is a wonder," Arthur said. "But the wonder is that he's such an idiot." And he stepped away, ignoring the ugly look Merlin sent him. The idiot should be grateful, not looking as if he wanted to throw something now. "There's no way he's a sorcerer," Arthur insisted, because it was true.
And because he was afraid of what it would mean if it wasn't.