Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.


Chapter 3 – The Coming of Arthur


The following morning Arthur awoke to his wife snuggled up against him, her head on his chest. Arthur smiled softly as he remembered last night and how responsive and eager she had been; his fears about consummating their marriage were evidently unfounded. Gwen stirred beside him and Arthur pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head.

"Good morning." He said as she tilted her head to look at him through sleepy eyes.

"Good morning." She returned and smiling softly she leaned up to kiss him. As last night proved, the two fit well together and it wasn't long before the kiss turned heated.

"Guinevere we can't." Arthur was the one to pull away while his young wife pouted.

"Why not? Camelot needs an heir do they not? We would be remiss in our duty if we did not do all we could to see to an heir's conception." Arthur had to laugh at her excuse.

"While I am pleased to see you are keen on our duty to produce an heir, it is too soon for me to take you again, you need time to recover. Besides, no doubt Merlin, Nan and Sefa will all be along shortly to see us ready for the day ahead. Remember how important today is." He murmured the last bit and Gwen knew that naught would happen between them this morn. In truth though, she had forgotten in a moment of passion exactly what today had in store. It was the first council meeting after they officially became King and Queen of Camelot and Arthur had planned some major changes, some of which he knew the majority of the current council would not like. Even so, they were changes he was going to make. Arthur's prediction about their attendants' arrival came true not long after. Nan and Merlin were the first two in and both immediately went to their master and mistress' side and helped them on with their dressing gowns. After four years of the two sharing chambers both servants were used to sharing the space and had developed a routine with their charges. Gwen was led behind a privacy screen by Nan and it wasn't long before Sefa arrived with a bowl of hot water for both the King and Queen. Nan supervised while Sefa helped her Queen dress, the old nurse allowing the younger maids to do the physical work, though she still insisted on caring for Gwen, who had long ago asked if Nan wished to retire. The answer had been a resounding no and for some time Nan had carried on as usual, though recently she had agreed to lighten her workload. Even so, she would not leave Gwen and The Queen was quite thankful for it, not wanting to lose the only mother she'd ever known. Sefa was the first to spot the blood smeared on Gwen's thighs. The Lady's Maid gasped, knowing what it must mean after all this time, and drawing Nan's attention.

"Gwen, honey…" She murmured, Nan and Merlin being the only two to call the monarchs by their names, though only in private and when they deemed it appropriate.

"Please don't make a big deal out of it." Gwen asked.

"Shut up Merlin!"

"Like that." She added when Arthur's raised voice was heard. Like Gwen's attendants, Merlin had discovered last night's activities as well, though his discovery was made by the blood on the sheets when he went to make the bed, Arthur being relatively capable of dressing himself for his clothes were much simpler than Gwen's.

"But this…I mean…you two…" He stuttered, pointing from the sheets, to Arthur, to the screen blocking Gwen from view and back again.

"Yes you are right." The King hissed furiously not wanting for Gwen to hear. "It was bound to happen eventually, she is my wife after all."

"Yeah but with the way you'd been carrying on, refusing to see she was growing up and all, I never thought it would actually happen."

"Well it did. So can we move on please?"

"Right, right." Merlin muttered and spent a moment trying to do just that before he turned back to Arthur, it being clear that he couldn't move on quite yet. "So how was it?"

"Shut up Merlin!"

oo00oo00oo

Arthur and Gwen arrived at the throne room already knowing it to be full of Councillors. Morgana awaited them outside the chamber looking quite confused at having been summoned to a council meeting, knowing as she did that women were not even permitted to observe the council, let alone be on it.

"Your Majesties." She smiled broadly and gave a curtsey that was over the top. Arthur and Gwen laughed at the teasing manner, knowing Morgana would never stop with it even given their new stations, something they were entirely thankful for. "Why have you summoned me to a council meeting Arthur?" She then asked.

"You'll see." Was his only reply as he nodded to the pages to open the door and led his Queen inside, Morgana following closely behind them. The councillors bowed as they passed, most looking quite confused at Gwen and Morgana's presence, and only raised up when Arthur reached the head of the table. Gwen and Morgana turned to head to the dais where Arthur and Gwen's thrones, as well as another ornate chair that had long belonged to Morgana, awaited them but were stopped by Arthur.

"I do believe I told you that you would rule by my side, Guinevere." He told his wife and Gwen tried to hide her surprise. While it is true that Arthur had said such a thing she had thought he meant that he would not completely disregard her opinion, not that he would have her sit on the council as no woman had before. Gwen merely nodded and joined Arthur, taking the chair directly to his right which had remained empty. Morgana did not immediately move, her eyes going to the chair on the King's left, which was also conspicuously empty. "Morgana, although he would never allow it in public you have counselled my father for years. But I am not my father. I have always valued your counsel and wish for it now more than ever." Morgana stared for another moment before she too nodded and joined the others at the table.

"Sire, is this really a wise idea?" One of the Councillors, who was a staunch supporter of Uther's strict rules for the classes and everyone knowing their place in the kingdom, asked. "No woman has ever sat on this council before and Camelot has fared quite well."

"Have we now?" Arthur asked, crossing his arms and staring the councillor down. "Because the way I see it, not only are we at war but our people go hungry as more and more taxes are imposed, supposedly to fund this war, though we all know that most of it goes to line the pockets of this council. On top of that the people are stopped from achieving all they can due to the strictness of my father's laws that only allow those of noble birth to hold more than a menial job. Furthermore my father's crusade against magic has isolated Camelot from the rest of Albion in all but the barest of terms to the point that we have poor relations and no trade with any of Albion and must take our trade across the sea, which is only possible thanks to the Queen's county of Lyanesse, without which we would be stranded. And on top of all that, innocent people lose their lives everyday, not due to this infernal war, but due to my father's hatred of magic and his decree that anyone even suspected of magic be put to death immediately, forgoing a fair trial and evidence, let alone the truth. So how, My Lord, is Camelot fairing well?" The councillor quelled under Arthur's stare and sat down contritely, deeming it wise to say no more. Arthur turned his glare onto each councillor in turn, daring them to disagree with him, though wisely none did. "Many changes are coming to Camelot. Queen Guinevere and Lady Morgana being on this council is but the beginning. First and foremost those of you that bought your way onto this council and banned together to instil further taxes so as to add to your own wealth when even the cold hearted Uther was reluctant are hereby dismissed and stripped of your titles, lands and wealth." An outcry was heard from all but three councillors, but Arthur was prepared for that. The Knights of Camelot had stood silently around the room, supposedly acting as honour guards for their new king, but in reality were there at his command to remove those stripped of their titles. More guards were called in to lead the disgraced councillors away to await trial for their misdeeds and crimes against the people of Camelot.

"Let that be a warning to all that are still on this council." Gwen spoke up, having known of this part of Arthur's plan. "Just like the King and I, you too are servants of the people. Treachery and crimes against them will not be tolerated." The remaining three councillors bowed their heads to acknowledgement, both terrified of what was to come, and relishing the apparent end of corruption in Camelot.

"Sir Leon, Sir Percival, Sir Elyan." Arthur called the attention of the Knights in question. "Your fathers' titles and lands are now yours as are their places on the council, if you so wish them." Arthur had spoken to the three Knights who had fathers on the council, and while, like Arthur himself, they would always love their fathers they knew they were not good men and so held no ill will towards Arthur disposing of them.

"Sire?" Sir Leon questioned. While they'd been forewarned about Arthur's decision regarding their fathers, the King had not shared his decision regarding what was to become of their titles, lands, and positions on the council.

"All of your have proven yourselves to be honourable and true, dedicated to the protection and prosperity of Camelot and its people. I could ask for no better."

"I am honoured, Sire." Sir Percival spoke up. "And I accept the position."

"And I." Said Sir Elyan.

"And I." Sir Leon agreed.

"Excellent." Arthur looked quite pleased, and smiled at his friends. "Then take your seats, Councillors." Once the three Knights were seated, Arthur moved on to the next order of business. "As of right now all laws my father passed regarding execution, punishment and extra taxing are null and void. Our primary concern now is our people. All planned executions are to be stayed until we re-evaluate the crimes of all those in the dungeons, and re-evaluate the laws. Help shall be given to all those in need whether it be food, water, medicine, coin, supplies for winter or repairs to homes."

"If I may, Sire." Sir Leon spoke up and Arthur nodded. "Chilstone will return all taxes collected, save what is necessary, to the people. It belongs to them, not the earldom."

"As will Deira."

"And Kinwick." Both Sir Elyan and Sir Percival agreed. The other three remaining lords were quick to follow their lead, both wanting to get on the good side of their king, and believing it the right thing to do.

"Good. The other counties shall do so as well and the Knights of Camelot will see to it until such a time as new bannermen are found." The Knights in question nodded their acceptance. "Now we come to the final topic of this meeting before we all go forth to help the people." Arthur paused to ensure he had everyone's attention. "I am lifting the ban on magic." Whatever they had expected it had not been that. Magic had been banned in Camelot since the time of Arthur's birth and the return of it seemed inconceivable.

"Magic has brought nothing of pain and sorrow to Camelot." One of the lords insisted. "You would have that return to the kingdom?"

"Magic itself is not the cause of the pain and sorrow you speak of. It is merely the tool that was used. Swords too are tools. They may be used to protect and defend, or kill and destroy, it all depends on whose hands they are in and how they are used. Magic will no longer be outlawed, it is too rampant in Britain to ban without causing harm to many of our people. My father's fear and lack of understanding is what caused the ban in the first place but I will not fear magic any more than I fear a sword, nor will I allow myself to remain ignorant of it when it lives inside so many of my people. The ban will be lifted and we shall attach the use of magic to the laws already in existence, and those we are re-evaluating. Just as murder with a sword is a crime so to will murder with magic. The use of it, however, will not be illegal, its legality will depend entirely on how it is used."

"And who shall help regulate magical practitioners, Sire?" Another lord asked. "While you may not fear magic, you yourself have none, unless we greatly mistaken. Should someone with ill intent use magic to their own ends we will be all but powerless against them with no magic of our own."

"You are correct. Which is why we will have magic of our own." This piqued the interest of all sitting at the table save Gwen, who already knew of whom Arthur spoke. "It shall be the duty of the newest member of our council to ensure that magical beings tow the line just as it is the duty of county lords, sheriffs, and guards to ensure all others tow the line."

"Which new member, Sire?" Sir Elyan asked, looking between himself, his fellow Knights as well as The Queen and Lady Morgana, the five of them being the only new members of the council.

"The member of whom I speak has yet to join us." Arthur smiled and turned towards the man who had remained hidden in the shadows, awaiting his master's orders as he had been trained to do. "Merlin." He called, summoning his manservant who came forward immediately to stand beside The King. "Many of you know my former manservant. Merlin is a warlock. He possesses magic and has graciously agreed to become the Court Mage and my advisor in all things magic. All magical beings within Camelot will answer to him should they ever cross that line. Given his new position, Merlin will now be known as His Excellency, the Lord Mage. A courtesy title, given he is clearly not of noble birth-"

"Arthur…" Gwen said lowly, raising her eyebrow at her husband. No matter how close they had grown, no matter how much Arthur was truly lifting the ban on magic for his friend rather than for his people, he still would never admit it in public, nor could he seem to stop the teasing and bantering insults that had dominated his and Merlin's relationship; Gwen would be worried if only Merlin did not give as good as he got.

"Oh all right." He grumbled, seemingly quite reluctantly. "I shall make you Earl of Ealdor. Happy now?" He addressed his wife who merely smiled genially. Merlin, for his part, seemed quite surprised at this turn of events. "I know how Ealdor has suffered as a village bordering territory often occupied by the Saxons. We can only be thankful that Cenred has taken back that territory, though for how long remains to be seen. I was going to help them myself but giving you the power to help them frees up my time." Merlin let loose a small laugh at Arthur's feeble excuse, though he was honestly touched that Arthur had thought of the village where his mother and Gaius, as well as every member of his family, had come from; he himself had been the first to be born outside Ealdor. "Just don't neglect your duties, Lord Mage! And for God's sake find me a decent manservant to replace you or you shall continue those duties on top of all your new ones. Am I clear?" He snapped, having heard Merlin laugh.

"Of course, Sire." Merlin could not help but smile as he said it.

"And get you some decent clothes too." Arthur added.

"Yes, Sire." Merlin laughed once again unable to help himself.

"Does anyone have anything else to add?" The King asked pinching the bridge of his nose as he often did where Merlin was concerned. When no one spoke up Arthur dismissed the council and watched as most filed out, leaving only himself, Gwen, Morgana and Merlin.

"I'm proud of you Arthur." Morgana said, giving her pseudo brother a hug as light and hope shined in her eyes as it hadn't in many years, since she'd become fully aware of the depth of Uther's cruelty and corruption. "I see hope for Camelot as I haven't for many years. And thank you for giving me a place on your council. I can't tell you what it means to me."

"You have more than deserved it, Morgana." Arthur said, returning the hug. "I meant what I said about respecting, and needing, your counsel. In fact yours is second only to my Queen's. Of all the people in this world I trust you two the most."

"What about me?" Merlin demanded. Arthur sent him a sideways glance before turning back to Morgana.

"As I said, of all the people in this world I trust you two the most."

"You just don't love me anymore, do you?" Merlin asked.

"Merlin…"

"Shut up."

"You guessed it."


A/N - Merlin's title of Lord Mage, while I admit is kinda funny sounding, is in the style of the Lord Chamberlain, or the Lord Privy Seal, which are both historical offices/titles within the British monarch's household. Lots more on Merlin to come next chapter!