Just to let those of you asking about my other stories know, I will get back to them. But my other half saw fit to kill the computer, so I couldn't access any other stories as they were all on the hard drive. I'll be able to do more once we get the files off that and saved onto disc, this weekend. Nothing is forgotten, it's just on hold for the moment.

"Put that on," Merlin ordered, holding out a padded shirt.

Tentatively Arthur reached up to take the shirt from Merlin's grasp. Under Merlin's watchful gaze he slid his arms into the sleeves, holding the cuffs of his undershirt tightly to prevent them riding up. Then he carefully fastened the ties on the front. Merlin disappeared further into the room, rummaging through the armour that Arthur had cleaned the previous evening. He returned a moment later and dumped what he was holding over Arthur's head, settling the metal plates on his shoulders, frowning as he checked the fit. Merlin fiddled with the leather straps, yanking and tightening them before buckling the clasps firmly.

Arthur did nothing to resist but he wondered what Merlin had in mind. He had been used for target practice before but it didn't seem like the type of thing Merlin would do.

Once his master was satisfied, he stepped back and eyed Arthur critically.

"That will have to do," Merlin announced before turning and heading out of the room. Arthur obediently tailed him as they went out of the castle and round by the stables. To avoid all the curious stares Arthur kept his eyes on Merlin's back. He only began to take in his surroundings as Merlin headed through an archway that Arthur had not encountered before. They went down a small cloister before turning into an open grassy area. Merlin paused, looking around and Arthur lingered behind him, trying to use him as something of a shield against some of the soldiers out on the training area.

It wasn't hard for Merlin to spot Percival who stood a good head taller than most. Merlin walked over, Arthur stayed on his heels aware of, but ignoring, the other king's soldiers.

Leon stood with Percival, Lancelot hobbling on the sidelines. And there were two others in the small group. Elyan, the leader of the guards in Camelot and another who, as he brushed his hair back off his face, Arthur recognised immediately.

Elyan turned as Percival stopped talking.

"My Lord," Elyan greeted Merlin, and then turned to the other man. "You know Prince Gwaine I believe?"

The scene held with a significant pause as Merlin and Gwaine looked at each other. Merlin wondered what Lot had said to his sons, after their conversation. He took responsibility for Gareth's death, they could easily blame him for it. However, after the pause, Gwaine held out his hand.

"We've never actually met. Gareth said some good things about you."

Merlin took Gwaine's hand.

"He was a good man," Merlin said, wincing inwardly at the past tense. Gwaine nodded, but quite obviously didn't want to say any more on the subject. He removed his hand from Merlin's grip as soon as politely possible, having done what he considered to be the decent thing. Then he produced a distraction as he turned to Arthur and dropped a heavy hand on the top of his head, causing Arthur to squint his eyes up. Gwaine ruffled Arthur's hair in something of an affectionate gesture, causing it to spike everywhere.

"Hello Princess!" he said brightly, grinning and greeting Arthur almost as if he was a favoured pet. Arthur smiled slightly and putting a hand up attempted to get his messed up hair under control again.

"Sire," Arthur replied deferentially.

Percival raised his eyebrows.

"Princess?" he asked. Gwaine turned to him.

"Gaheris once said he'd make someone a wonderful wife," Gwaine said, nodding at Arthur, who had given up on his hair. It flopped in a dishevelled fashion onto his forehead except for one tuft on the left, which remained standing. His eyes had widened, giving him a startled deer expression. Merlin's eyes glittered with mild anger. Arthur decided to look at his boots and fiddle with his hair again, eventually finding the stray tuft and he tugged it down to get it under control. Gwaine stared at Merlin, sensing the disapproval over what he had done. Percival decided to cause a distraction.

"Are you joining us Merlin?"

"No, I intend to sit in on the meeting," Merlin said. "Arthur is though."

Arthur stopped staring at his boots and looked up sharply, with just as much shock as everyone else. Percival frowned slightly in an unspoken question.

"If you're planning on training with swords that's fine," Merlin added. "I want him competent in some basics."

"Defensive?" Lancelot asked. Merlin glanced at the startled Arthur.

"Probably the best thing to start with."

A few of the nearby soldiers had started a ripple of whispering. Gwaine's eyebrows had also risen, and he appraised Merlin with interest.

"Okay," Percival drawled. "We'd better find him a sword."

There was a short pause and then suddenly Gwaine turned to his servant lingering at the sidelines.

"Fetch my spare sword will you." Then he turned back to the group. "I have a spare. It's probably of a good weight for him, and it's heavier at the hilt, it will make it easier for him to manage. He can borrow that."

"Thank you," Merlin said. "See how he gets on, if it proves too awkward for him try him with a crossbow."

"Sure," Percival said as Merlin turned on his heel and walked away. Gwaine took the sword off his servant and then handed it hilt first to a shocked, and now red faced, Arthur. He took it uncertainly.

"He's going to need some gloves," Percival said.

"I've got some," Lancelot added, starting to rummage. Percival retrieved the sword from Arthur momentarily and handed him the gloves.

"Best put those on."

Arthur did as he was told, skilfully avoiding eye contact with anyone. Percival looked up, eyes roaming over the troops who now appeared to be pretending to train, while not so subtly watching to see what occurred with Arthur.

"I don't suppose there is anywhere else we could do this?" Gwaine asked Elyan, which caused Percival to look at Lancelot mouthing the word, 'we?' at him. Lancelot shrugged back.

"No," Percival said. "Let's just get on with it, can you manage with that?"

Arthur looked up as he realised the question had been directed at him. He eyed Percival's shoulder instead of his face, as he always did and said.

"People always stare at me."

"You can cope with it now then. The first thing you need to be aware of is your balance. You need to keep most of your weight on your back foot, but be able to rock forward if you need to. It's best to imagine that perhaps you are carrying weights and you need to balance them."

"That I can do," Arthur said, tilting his head as Percival stepped close to him, standing on his right, the knight's chest brushing against his arm and shoulder. Percival's strong, competent hands reached out to adjust Arthur's arm.

"Now, your grip is just as important as your balance..."

Merlin walked away hearing Percival's careful tone and Lancelot's additional words backing up the advice. Merlin left them to it and walked back into the castle and up to the chamber on the upper floor, the old council room. Merlin nodded at the lingering guards and walked in, making the men sat around the table, as they settled, jump in surprise.

"Merlin, we were not expecting you."

Merlin nodded at Lot. "This place is not only a barracks for my men, it has been my home. It would be rude of me not to attend and greet you."

"You are welcome, of course," Lord Godwyn said. The others gazed with curiosity. Balinor watched his son carefully. It was often the Dragonlord himself that sat in on the meetings, to deal with anything relating to them. Merlin appearance was unusual. Merlin nodded at Godwyn and sat down next to his father. No one sat at either end of the table, no chairs had been set out, people looked at each other from either side of the table.

"Our agenda is clear. We have managed again over the last year, a little longer than that I believe," Alined said. "We have to thank Merlin for his work. Despite all intervention," the king glared at his comrades. "he has remained firm and impartial, and we do not begrudge the tithe or the men we offer."

Merlin saw the small clench of Lot's jaw. Alined watched the action as well.

"I do not take any loss blithely. We know that there are squabbles between groups. I do try to be fair in how the troops work, and I don't take more than is offered and do not taken more than is fair for the work."

Merlin stopped talking and looked around.

"However, it cannot be denied that some of your troops volunteer for the duty under my command," Merlin said. "It did not start that way, I grant you. All of you sent twenty men and they would act as a force for me, to prevent the worst damage.

"There were years of famine because you killed those on either side who worked the land and brought food to the cities. This has ended, but many of them now are people loyal to me. There is no need to offer so many men to me. Those who wish to join can do so, but I will reduce the tithe of men. I have no need for twenty from each of you. Only ten is required from those of you willing to offer."

"Are you sure of that Merlin?" Balinor asked.

"I have trained many of the people that have come to us. They are loyal and also impartial. The more the better who take that role. I can reduce the troops."

"In exchange for what?" Olaf asked.

"Nothing, although the force will still require food if we pass through but no more than that."

"None of us can deny, it has worked for us," King Lot said.

They all paused for a moment, gathering their thoughts Merlin guessed, until one man walked in, striding with purpose. He moved around the table in a lithe manner and stopped by King Alined, whispering in his ear.

"You're teaching the Golden Prince to fight?" Alined demanded.

"No, he's being taught to defend himself."

"Why would you need to do that?" Bayard asked his expression darkening. He had been eyeing Merlin with irritation ever since he had walked through the door.

Merlin sat back in his chair. "I don't need to do anything. I just think it is appropriate."

"He has never been taught such a thing before. Why would a slave need to defend himself," Godwyn asked. "The welfare of the boy is down to the discretion of his owner."

"Who is currently myself," Merlin informed them. "And at my discretion I want him competent in defending himself."

"Well certainly it can be said that you had to retrieve him from Cenred. But you cannot be his owner," Bayard announced.

"Why not?" Merlin asked. "The agreement is I take a portion of whatever is retrieved from the opposing force, whoever that may be. All of the valuables that Cenred stole were divided equally and returned, and all the equipment is safely stored. It is there for you to split amongst yourselves."

They were all staring at him now, the expressions ranging from disbelief to anger - the anger mostly coming from Bayard. Lot's expression remained neutral, half aware of Merlin's thoughts.

"It is true that I will simply either take supplies, or gold as necessary, mainly for the welfare of the troops and the people living within the community here."

At that moment, Merlin reflected that not a single resident ever called the place by it's original name. All of them knew it was what used to be, Camelot, but no one said that word, as if it was almost a curse to say it.

"However, this time anything of value was returned. The only thing I kept was the Golden Prince. There has never been any specific ruling on what I am exactly entitled to take. I fail to see it as an issue now, if I choose to take a slave rather than valuables."

"The Golden Prince is probably considered to have the highest value," Bayard rumbled. "If you now sell him back you will get more than you would if you had just taken your normal share."

Merlin raised his eyebrows. "Are you seriously trying to say I am out to swindle you?"

"Of course not," Olaf said before Bayard could answer. "It's just your decision is a little unusual. It is not like you to directly involve yourself in our affairs."

"I do not this time either."

"But we do have other concerns, we have heard from the knights that we have loaned to you," Olaf said. He looked around at his fellow kings, they all nodded, some of them in a mildly vague fashion. Merlin raised his eyebrows and waited for Olaf, who had been elected as the spokesperson, to continue.

"We know you have taken on, and trained your own men, as you have said, those you have a desire to join you. But many of them are villagers, those who have lost people in conflicts, or wish to help to protect their own homes. You have given these people positions of responsibility, whereas we assumed that our knights would have taken leadership of the cluster groups. They are born of noble houses, many of your leaders have no standing."

Merlin nodded, sitting up and resting his arms on the table. His glance grazed over all of the men sat around the table.

"That is not meant as an insult to any of you or your men," Merlin said. "But the point of me, and my men, is to be neutral in all matters pertaining to the kingdoms, and the claims on the lands. Our purpose is to intervene on any disputes that occur. Some of those you bring to my attention, for some I have intervened independently."

"We understand that Merlin," Bayard snapped with ill-concealed irritation. He looked even more irritated as Olaf raised his hand to prevent him from saying more.

"Let him speak," Olaf said softly to his fellow king. Merlin nodded at him

in thanks before continuing.

"There are times when a knight's loyalties may clash. Although I do my best to choose knights with no links to anyone in the disputes that is not always possible. If I cannot do that, I need people who are utterly neutral. In many ways my own men, those that are not knights, who have chosen to join me and whose standing is not considered as high as some of your men, are not entirely neutral. Their aim is to protect the people of the land, irrespective of whose kingdoms they live in.

"Their families and they themselves might have suffered through some of the fighting that has occurred. In a way they add better perspective to the troops they lead. And they are not all peasants, many of them are of noble blood, but their houses and lands have been lost. Sir Leon is a perfect example of that. And it is true, some are not of noble birth, but they have proved themselves, not only in their loyalty to me, but in their fairness to those they have pledged to help."

As Merlin stopped talking he sat back again taking a deep breath.

"That's a pretty speech Merlin, and I don't deny that the reasons you have stated are valid, but you yourself are not truly of nobility and you cannot take away their rights."

"What rights?" Merlin asked Olaf.

"You protected the Golden Prince from Sir Malaegant, and apparently one of your less noble knights made sure that no one else would go near the boy."

"Arthur's use is decided by his owner. I trusted Malaegant, as a good fighter, to keep Arthur safe from the fight, and I ordered Malaegant to take him straight back to camp. My orders were not followed, therefore I found it necessary to intervene."

Olaf frowned.

"Are you saying that you intend to keep the Golden Prince for yourself?"

"My plans are not so fixed. However, when it comes to things of value, which may or may not specifically belong to one kingdom, we," Merlin glanced at his father. "Have been entrusted with the ownership until the matter can be solved. The Golden Prince's welfare is one such thing. Cenred has had possession of him for over a year."

"And he was taken from my lands," Bayard announced.

"But you were not his owner, and as much as that is the case that he was in your kingdom at the time, that does not necessarily give you claim to him," Godwyn announced. Bayard glared at him.

"There are others planning to attend the meeting, they will arrive later. Perhaps Merlin is right, until the matter of ownership can be settled, the Golden Prince should remain in Merlin's custody until full ownership can be settled," Lot said calmly. "I have no objection to such a thing until the matter can be fully dealt with."

The comment sent rumblings around the table. Merlin waited, utterly fascinated. The scene strange to watch as the kings glared at each other, prepared to squabble over Arthur, as they took what they thought was justified revenge on someone who cared nothing for it. Merlin couldn't entirely understand it, they had enslaved Arthur, abused him, subjugated him, but yet none of them thought to just simply kill him, and no one forgot that he was the Prince of Camelot, the kingdom that had been lost when they had banded together to rise against it's king, using those with magic and their powers to bring Uther down.

The kings had divided the lands between themselves, but still would never agree. It had been Uther, Merlin knew his history on this, that had kept the kings in line, somehow. There had been a power there which had pulled the kingdoms together. Merlin watched the kings now as they argued over the ownership of the son of Uther Pendragon. Despite their hatred and obsession, it never occurred to them that in some ways the Pendragon's still bound them together, as much as they also drove them apart.

Merlin frowned and wondered; what in the gods and goddesses names was it about Arthur?

XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

Merlin felt insane by the time he left the room two hours later. Things had been discussed and agreed on, and at least, for the time being he had custody of Arthur. He went down to the training field, thinking that perhaps he could train a little just to get his mind straight again.

The field had cleared somewhat since he had deposited Arthur there earlier on. Gwaine and Percival were sparring, each testing the other out. A few men remained to watch and perhaps pit themselves against the big knight, who remained one of the tests that Merlin tended to put people through.

Arthur sat on the sidelines, legs stretched out, hands in his lap, shoulders and head slumped, seeming as limp as a rag doll. His blond hair darkened with sweat and whatever he had been put through had tolled on him heavily. Now he watched the action going on in front of him, eyes moving carefully.

Percival paused to acknowledge Merlin and so did Gwaine before they went back to clashing swords. Lancelot remained on the sideline. He could walk about now but could not train as of yet. Elyan and Leon stood with him while Percival and Gwaine sized each other up.

"How did it go?" Merlin asked.

"All right," Lancelot said. "He wasn't bad, seemed to pick it up well enough."

"He's a little clumsy, but a few more sessions and he should be fairly competent," Percival said before turned back to batter at Gwaine. Gwaine refused to back down, buckling under some of the pressure but not giving in.

"Blind spots everywhere!" Gwaine snapped and Percival almost fell over to duck the oncoming sword. "Sorry, wasn't talking about Arthur there. Although he does need work."

Gwaine stopped talking, looking very serious as Percival came back at him. Percival slammed at the smaller man, making him buckle under the pressure. Gwaine had focused the bigger man's attention and as much as Gwaine could fight he would never withstand against Merlin's best fighter.

"I'm never going to lift my arms again," Arthur moaned, showing just how tired he was as he spoke without thinking. A moment later his head rose, shocked eyes looking up at Merlin. Merlin didn't like doing it but he knew it was the simplest way to make Arthur feel safe, so he put a hand down into Arthur's hair. He didn't stroke, or ruffle it. Instead he just put his palm down on Arthur's head, laying it gently until Arthur lowered it again, realising that Merlin was not angry. Percival had chuckled at the comment, turning away from Gwaine, while blocking a blow from him.

After a pause Arthur slowly started to get up. "Is there something you need My Lord?"

"No, you stay where you are Arthur, you look shattered," Merlin said. Arthur flopped down again, glad of the chance to relax.

"He's not used to using his muscles," Lancelot said. "At least not like this, using a sword. You have to take into account a whole new set of rules."

"He's alright though?"

"Merlin he's fine, we've just worn him out."

"Not to worry," Merlin reached down and touched Arthur's head again. "I wanted to go and see Gaius anyway, I'm sure I can pick up something for Arthur. First off, I need to stretch myself a little."

Merlin reached down and picked up the sword that Arthur had been using, and hefting it glanced at Leon. In response Leon grabbed his own sword, moving into a clear space and turning to face Merlin. Merlin grinned at him.

Again Arthur watched the change in expression, the grin making Merlin seem like nothing more than a boy. He watched them carefully as they sparred, taking in their movement and strikes, keeping his eyes fixed on Merlin.

Arthur watched discreetly wondering silently, what was Merlin going to do with him? What the hell did Merlin really want from him?