Arthur went to training but his mind wasn't really on it so Leon disarmed him quickly much to his consternation. He only hoped his father hadn't been watching out of the windows. "You're not concentrating Sire" the knight told him "Would you like to sit this out?"
Arthur glared at the knight "No I don't, I won't have you say you can beat me!" and so for the next hour Arthur concentrated on the job at hand. Once he stepped back to watch the other knights train Arthur let his gaze travel to the sorcerers training patch not far away. He could see Aredian pushing the sorcerers, then saw Merlin fall to the ground clutching his neck. He tensed up and would have gone across the Leon put his hand on Arthur arm. "Sire" came the quiet warning "I know you don't like it but there is nothing you can do and you may well make it worse for the lad."
"He's so small and skinny Leon, what has he done to deserve that" Arthur growled quietly enough so he wouldn't be overheard.
"He has magic and that's enough for the king, at least you can fed him up a bit now, but take care if your father thinks you have sympathy for them it won't go well" Leon removed his arm and stepped away as the Lady Morgana approached.
"Hello Arthur, I thought I would watch the training, have you finished?" she smiled at the young man she thought of as her brother.
"Not yet, just allowing the others their time on the ground" he told her, she looked across at him "So you have your own sorcerer guard now"
"I do," he lowered his voice "If his mother wants to send him a message I will make sure he gets it" Arthur was rewarded with a bright smile of approval
"Thank you Arthur, I'm sure she will, what are you going to do with him?" Morgana glanced across to Merlin
"I'm going to be careful, if the king thinks I have any sympathy I will get know where. I want to find out how to remove the collar and then get him and his family out of Camelot. Although were to I don't know" he kept to himself, for now, that he knew they were both his and Cenred's kin.
"Oh Arthur thank you! I hoped you would help them" she glanced around to make sure they couldn't be heard. "What is happening to them is awful and shouldn't be allowed"
"Don't get your hopes up Morgana, I can't go against my father openly, not yet I am far too young. I will do what I can but that may be no more than giving the boy more to eat." Arthur hated feeling so helpless.
"I know you will, but it will give them hope, something they haven't had for years, you are a good person Arthur" she paused "You had best get back to work, I will speak to Hunith and get back to you"
Morgana went up to her room and found Hunith cleaning the floors, Morgana walked up to Hunith "Leave that a moment Hunith, the floors are clean enough to eat off anyway, I don't know why you fell you have to clean them so often." She made Hunith sit down beside her at the table "You know that the prince has your son as his personal Sorcerer now?" Hunith winced at the word
"I do my lady"
"Arthur has said he will pass communication between you both. We need to be careful, it won't be possible for you to meet at the moment. I 'm sorry but we can't take the risk"
Hunith smiled "To just be able to let him know I love him will be more than I hoped for"
Morgana lowered her voice even further "He hopes to be able to remove his collar in time and let your family escape, if he can where would you go?"
Hunith looked at Morgana with hope. I would not go back to Essetir, I have family there but I don't trust them. I suppose the druids, they would help keep us safe."
"Well don't hold out hope it will be quick, but at least Arthur will be able to protect Merlin, not completely but he will have better care. The Prince is young yet, it is taking a lot of courage on his part to plan to go against his father's wishes" Morgana pointed out.
Prince Arthur will be a good King when the time comes my lady, if he knew of your secret he would help you."
"No! He mustn't know yet, he has enough on his hands already, please don't tell him. I will I promise when the time comes." Morgana said fearfully.
Hunith gave a message to Morgana and she promised to make sure Merlin got it. Later that evening after they had dined with Uther Morgana asked Arthur to walk her back to her chambers. As they walked along the corridor Morgana said quietly. ""Hunith says to tell Merlin that she loves him, and remembers how he used to run up the corridors. I think the latter is something so he will know the message is from her."
Arthur smiled "I will, take care Morgana you are like my sister, I don't want you to get caught."
"And you are like my brother, we will both be careful" they had reached her door "Goodnight them younger brother" she said with a grin.
Arthur walked back to his chambers and after George had prepared him for bed and Arthur had dismissed him for the night. Arthur went towards Merlin who was chained by the door and had his blanket pulled close about him. Bending down he whispered so the guards the other side of the door wouldn't hear. "You mother sends he love and says she remembers you running up the corridor when you were small"
Merlin's head shot up his eyes full of tears "You told the truth!" he paused "Thank you, If you get the chance tell her I love her to, they told me she didn't care but I never believed them. Tell her I miss the dragon stories"
Arthur went to his bedside and took another apple from the bowl then went into the cupboard and got out a sausage. Handing them to Merlin "I saved the sausage from my breakfast, and I know you like apples. Goodnight Merlin"