Arthur arranged for a disc to be sent to him so Merlin could watch it without risking him listening to all the speculation his appearance would cause. They sat together and watched it. When it came to the end when Merlin appeared he looked distressed, Morgana remembered his reaction to seeing photos of himself. "Merlin why don't you like seeing yourself?" she asked gently.

"Not nice, to thin" Merlin whispered to her.

"Oh Merlin you may be slender but you're not that much underweight, you have improved a lot in the past few weeks, anyway you are a handsome young man" Morgana smiled "Soon you will have all the women chasing after you and giving Arthur a run for his money. He won't have it so easy winning best looking eligible bachelor"

"Thank goodness for that" Arthur remarked "Merlin Morgana's right you are a good looking man. Please don't run yourself down. Anyway who told you such rubbish?"

"I'm pasty and boney, no one will ever love me" came the reply

Arthur looked at Merlin in shock "We love you very much Merlin! Who would dare to say such a thing? Who has been saying that to you Merlin Please tell me?"

Merlin muttered something but neither Arthur nor Morgana caught it. "Can you tell me again Merl" Morgana continued.

"Uncle Agravaine and the others, they said I was lucky no one saw me, that they would laugh, is that why I'm not allowed to listen to news on radio? I used to in my room. Will they be laughing at me?" Merlin looked at his brother.

"Merlin no one is laughing at you, and they and no right to say that to you. If you were underweight and pale that was their doing. The reason we haven't watched it on TV is because there is lots on there that might upset you, things about what has happened to you." Arthur told his brother.

"Want to, I don't know anything anymore, it's like before I had radio" Merlin looked at Arthur.

"All right Merlin we will watch it later on the news, together." Arthur conceded.

"All news please"

"Alright as long as we switch it of if it upsets you" Arthur realised they had no choice, they couldn't protect Merlin for ever, it wasn't fair to him.

They all went out with their dogs Aithusa got on well with Arthur and Morganas dogs, but the puppy always kept quite close to Merlin, she was young yet. But as she did run about Merlin called her. But of course she didn't hear his whisper.

"Merlin you need to raise your voice, I know you weren't allowed to but you are now so shout if you want to." Arthur explained. "The doctors say there is nothing wrong with your voice, you have just got used to whispering. I promise you we will be pleased if you do shout and Aithusa will hear you"

Mithian and Gwen had already told them that Merlin might never talk very loud, his conditioning had been so severe and at such a young age he might never be able to overcome it. They did suggest that for now Merlin not be given a whistle for calling his dog in the hope that it might prompt a reaction. Morgana and Arthur made a point of shouting for their dogs, when Merlin was about, and louder than usual to demonstrate it was normal.

When they went back into the castle they talked Merlin into going into Arthur's personal chambers, as he had a large television. Except for the room downstairs, where the filming had been done, this was the first time Merlin had been anywhere other than his own rooms. It had taken them a bit of persuasion but since he had asked to watch the news in the end he had agreed, as long as Aithusa could go with him. Once in the room Arthur sent George for hot chocolate. Merlin looked round with interest, especially when Arthur told him that these used to be his mother's rooms. Merlin had vague memories and of course the room had been refurbished several times since then.

Sitting down between Arthur and Morgana with Aithusa at his feet Merlin watched the news wide eyed. The Kings statement was first up and was introduced by the newscaster "King Arthur today gave an address to the people to outline his vision for his reign, we go to that now" they showed the address that they had already seen. Then immediately afterwards the newscaster continue to talk with a still of the three of them in the background.

"To the surprise of the nation as the King finished his address the Princess Morgana and Prince Merlin joined him. This is the first time the Prince has been seen in public since he was freed from the cellar, where we understand he had been held in for the past sixteen years. Prior to this one picture had been released by the palace and one blurred picture was seen in some tabloids. The prince appeared shy and uncomfortable, not surprising as we have been told Prince Merlin was kept in very solitary and enclosed conditions. The reaction of the people to his appearance has been mixed. Many pleased to see him, but equally some saying that the Prince should have been allowed a longer period of recovery."

They then had 'experts' on one of whom said it was handled well and the other saying it was a blatant publicity exercise by the new King to try to mend the damage caused to the monarchy by his father's actions. The topic took up half the news with flash backs to Merlin's childhood and the funeral. Merlin watched all without saying a word.

The news then continued with world news and sport. As Arthur turned off the set he turned to his brother. "Are you alright Merlin?"

Merlin looked at Arthur his eyes moist "I didn't know you buried me, his Majesty father told me you knew where I was but didn't want to see me, Uncle told me you were ashamed of me…. But you were crying, His Majesty father he didn't like crying" Merlin paused and swallowed "Did he have you punished?"

Morgana had to bite her tongue to stop herself saying what she wanted to say. Arthur looked at his brother and hugged him "You're right he told us off, but no he didn't punish us. We thought you had died Merlin we would never have let you stay there if we had known, we have never been ashamed of you" Arthur looked at Merlin "Why do you always call father 'His Majesty Father'?"

"Must be respectful, bow and call him His Majesty father or he got cross" Merlin looked at Arthur.

"We called him father or Sir, did he punish you Merlin, if you didn't" Morgana asked quietly.

Merlin nodded "He told men to hit my hands with ruler, mustn't look him in eyes….told me I was defiant" Merlin looked at Arthur "He told me he loved me, it was for my own good. Did he hate me?"

"No Merlin he didn't hate you, he loved you in a strange way. What he did was wrong, very wrong." Arthur took a deep breathe to help control his own emotions "He must have been sick to do what he did"

Morgana could contain herself no longer "He was evil! He made us think you had died and kept you hidden away. I hate him for what he did to you" she took her brother into her arms and hugged him tears running down her face. "He had no right to keep us apart, to keep you like that and tell you we didn't want to see you!"

Arthur spoke to his sister "Gana please you're not helping Merlin, try to keep calm" He got Merlin to look at him "Merlin you are with us now and we will look after you always, just know that we love you very, very much and we will make sure you are safe. Uther is dead now and the others will be punished by the law"

Merlin looked puzzled "No! you can't they looked after me, that's not fair, Leave them alone!"

"Merlin they hurt you, punished you and kept you in that room!" Morgana said scandalised that her brother was standing up for his captors.

"They had to, it was for my own good, I was bad" Merlin whispered looking totally confused.

"This isn't a conversation for tonight, we will talk with you and Mithian and Gwen, come on Merlin do you want to take Aithusa to the gardens before you go to bed, or shall I ask one of the footmen?" Arthur felt they were getting out of their depth and could do more harm than good.

"Me" Merlin said standing up.

Arthur went with his brother and once back in his room sat with Merlin while he got ready for bed. Then he sat on the bed and made sure Merlin had his medicine, giving him a small dose of sleeping tablet, thinking Merlin might need to after what had occurred. "Merlin you do know we love you?"

Merlin nodded not wanting to speak. He had spoken more that evening than he was used to already. Arthur tussled his brother hair "I think Aithusa will cry tonight so I suppose she best sleep on the bed."

Arthur picked up one of the dog blankets and placed it on the bed "Try to make sure she sleeps on that" he bent over and kissed Merlin on the forehead. "If you need me come across to my rooms, I don't mind. Elyan is on duty tonight he can come with you" he grasped his brothers hand and squeezed, Merlin returned the squeeze.

Arthur went back to his room to find his sister still there "How can you defend him?" she asked angrily.

"I don't Gana but you know what the doctors said he has Stockholm syndrome, he can't help being attached to them and that includes Uther, it won't help him if we try to force him to face that, leave that to the experts, I do think in a perverted way Uther did love Merlin, I'm sure Merlin wouldn't be alive if he didn't. We have to support Merlin even if it means hiding our own views, you know what Gwen said baby steps, don't lie to him but don't try to force our opinions on him either, show him that we love and support him that way he will understand in time what the difference is in our love, and what he sees as his relationship with them. I don't want him having seizures because he's stressed up."

Arthur poured a drink for them both "I hate what they did to him and I want them punished to the full force of the law but I'm not telling Merlin that. Look tonight he spoke more than he ever has, he's beginning to ask the questions himself. Now I'm going to be away quite a bit in the next week can you try to get him out and around the castle more? I am going to see Mordred when I'm up country. Uncle Gaius is staying here, it's a pity Leon and Morgause went back but they have promised to return. We just need to expose Merlin to more people. Can you also speak to Mithian and ask if Merlin can have full access to a radio and television."

"I will, and I'll try to hide my hatred of that man, do we know when the trial will be yet?"

"The Commissioner says they cannot be seen to be hurrying it through, fair trail and all that. So it will be months yet. Only the woman who committed suicide and the doctor have made full confessions. But from what I gather the others are basically saying they didn't know who Merlin was and hardly ever saw him, that they were handymen, they can't claim never to have been there to many fingerprints. Agravaine is saying he knew nothing other than they were using the cellar for something, he claims he thought it was as a love nest. Can you believe the man! No wonder some of the public are saying the family is rotten to the core and Britain should be a republic."

"Arthur you will be a great King I know you will" Morgana told her brother. "Once we can get some sort of normality in our lives you will prove that"

"At the moment Morgana I'd give it all up if Merlin was happy"