I do think I got out of that one lightly. Well that's what I think.

The Aftermath of the Assassination

"Please eat Merlin." Gwen said.

Merlin remained staring out the window. He had been in the same place for a while now and they were all starting to worry about him.

Gwen walked up to him and placed a hand on his arm. "It is hard I know but he would want you to carry on. You need to carry on for the people."

He placed his hand on top of hers.

"No one is expecting you to be a machine and not to be effected by it but you need to keep your strength up."

She managed to pull him from the window and got him to sit down at the table.

"I need to speak to Arthur." He said, trying to get up.

Gwen pushed him back down. "I will get Arthur. You eat." She turned and walked to the door, she watched him as he picked up the spoon and took a bite. He was moving in the right direction.

"Hunith?"

Morgana watched as she moved papers about and made everything look nice. She took a different approach to Merlin and Morgana wasn't so sure which one was better.

"He is always leaving papers everywhere. I am always clearing them up. I would look through them myself but some of the things that are on them make no sense to me. But then I wasn't brought up to live this life. I was just a peasant."

She could hear her voice cracking at the words she was saying but she continued to move the papers around. Morgana walked up to her and took them out of her hands and held them.

"You must mourn him. Trying to act like it didn't happen won't make it any better."

Hunith brought her hand up to her cheek. "Have you?"

"Not yet. I want to make sure that you and Merlin start to before I can properly."

The Queen grabbed into Morgana and she just about managed to lead her to the bed. They sat down and Hunith started her mourning. She cried and cried, asking why he was giving back to her to be taken away from her again a year later. She cursed every god and goddess she could. Morgana wasn't going to stop her. She would be the same if it was Merlin.

"I am King." Merlin muttered.

"Unfortunately."

His eyes started to well up again as he remembered what he had lost. "What do I do?"

"Mourn him Merlin, and do it properly. You need to get that out your system before you would be fit to take the throne."

"What will happen in the meantime? Who will make the decisions? Mother cannot be in a good place."

"Don't think me like my father but I could take over for the few days that you are mourning. The Council will understand if you do."

Merlin blinked as he thought it over. "That might not be a bad idea."

"Don't do it just because I suggested it."

"I am not. I need to mourn him. You know what to do. I need to think straight before I take the throne."

Arthur got up and gave Merlin's shoulder a squeeze in comfort. "I could not being to imagine what that must have been like. Balinor was a good man."

"I just don't want to mess up."

Arthur laughed. "I won't allow you to."

Arthur walked down the halls as Morgana left Hunith's room.

"How has she taken it?"

"Well she cried, a lot. Cursed everything she could for his death. I think she has started to mourn him. How's Merlin holding up?"

"He might want a shoulder to cry on that isn't mine or Gwen's. Sorry I think you are going to be the one to go to for them. He is hopefully doing the same as Aunty Hunith and actually mourn him. I suggested what we discussed and he believed it was a good idea."

"That still doesn't sit right with you, does it?"

He shook his head. "Uncle Balinor was easier to say than Aunty Hunith will ever be. It will be the same for the first time Merlin introduces me as his cousin."

"Did I hear that you are in charge Arthur?"

There was one person that they believed should not be around the two Eorðdracas and that was Uther Pendragon.

"Yes father I am until Merlin has mourned Uncle."

Morgana watched as Uther's jaw clenched slightly. He hadn't enjoyed the switch in power and hated it even more when Arthur had accepted the fact that they were all family. He hated it even more when Arthur referred to Balinor as his Uncle.

"Wouldn't it be best if took on the role? I did have it for 30 years. I would understand it more. We can wait for as long as we wanted. Merlin could feel like he was properly ready to take it at that point."

"No." Was all Arthur said to his father as he held out his arm for Morgana to take.

Morgana took his arm and they started to walk down the corridor. Uther was close behind them.

"Why not?"

"Because Merlin is technically king now. If he puts me in charge then I am in charge. I think you forget that I had been groomed for his role all my life. It will only be a few days. I am sure I will cope with that."

"I could not forget that Arthur but why just wait for until he has mourned, why not wait until he is able to do his job properly?"

Arthur picked up his pace. "I am in charge for now and that is on Merlin's orders. Another word on the matter and I will have to have you confined to your chambers."

Morgana squeezed Arthur's arm in support. She wanted to slap Uther right now. She was glad that he didn't trust his father as much as he did. It was nice to know that Arthur did have an opinion other than the one his father had. It had taken him a few weeks to get over the fact that both she and Merlin had magic. He avoided them and spent most of his time in his room, just to emerge and apologise for his behaviour. They had accepted his apology and told him that they had expected it. It was a big shock as well as finding out about part of his family that he didn't know that he had.

They heard Uther drop back. It probably wasn't going to be the last that they would hear on the subject but it would do for now.