Here's the next chapter. It took me a little while to type it up, but I like how it turned out. For all my most patient watchers and reviewers, this is your chapter, just to forewarn you guys. Thanks for all the support and awesome reviews. Also an update on my poll (it is up on my profile, for those who don't know), so far Arthur is in the lead. I will keep it up until near the end of the story, so you have plenty of time to vote. It was funny while I wrote, because I was listening to I Gotta Feeling by BEP, and I couldn't stop smiling as I typed it up. Well, enjoy!
No one moved as the three exited, too stunned by his parting words. The hall rang with silence, some eyes even turning to Arthur as the prince stood in astounded silence. Finally, Ygraine finally seemed to pull herself together. "Perhaps it would be wise to call an end to this meeting until tomorrow. We will discuss what has been presented then." The group paralysis was shaken off with some difficulty and soon those gathered were taking their leave of the royal family.
Eventually, all that remained were Arthur, Ygraine, Uther, Morgana, and Gwen. "Arthur…" His mother's voice was soft, worry lacing it as he stood there motionless.
Shaking himself, he seemed to draw himself together, looking like his normal self. "I think I will cancel training for the day, if you will excuse me." He left before any could say or do anything. If they noticed the tense set to his shoulders, they said nothing.
The castle was silent and still as shadows reign supreme during the moonlit hours. None noticed another shadow among them as it crept through back passages and hallways. Eventually, it came to its destination, leaving the other shadows and stopping in front of a plain, nondescript door in the stone walls.
Reaching forward, Arthur knocked lightly against the wood, knowing the one inside would hear it, no matter how softly he struck it. There wasn't a response, but the door's lock clicked and it swung inward a few inches.
Slipping in, he shut it softly behind him before turning to look at the rest of the room. The fire in the hearth was out, leaving the room in darkness except for what moonlight made it through the thin windows.
Merlin sat with his back to him, bathed in a streak of moonlight, dividing him in two, half in shadow, half in light. It seemed fitting, for the moment, but he mustn't get caught up in the symbolism. Taking a fortifying breath, he stepped forward, walking the short distance around the bed he sat on to stand partially in front of him.
"Merlin?" He called out, fearing what he might see when the Druid looked up. But he didn't look up, just continued to sit in his hunched position, staring down at his hands, fingers interwoven and clenched rigid until his knucklebones stood out against his already pale skin. Sighing, he finally moved forward to take a seat next to him, but keeping his distance. "Why did you never tell me?"
"Would it have made any difference if I had?" His voice was soft and heavy, each word dropping to the ground like a piece of lead.
"I…I don't know. It may, it may not have. It's too late to tell." He replied sagely, staring at him, hoping he would look up. "But still, why? Are you ashamed of what you are? Afraid that I wouldn't like you?"
Merlin gave a sound close to a growl at the back of his throat, jumping to his feet in one fluid movement. "Do you even know what it's like? To be pulled from two sides all your life, one side just not enough, the other a corrupting force that makes you lower than dirt? It feels like I'm being torn apart, Arthur, and I can't decide! Which should I chose? Will that side even accept me?" He was breathing hard now, hands clenched at his side.
"You ask if I'm afraid. Yes, goddammit! I'm afraid, afraid that you will hate me like everyone else, that you'll hurt me, worse than they ever could because I actually give a damn about what you think." He seemed to lose his wind, shoulders sagging in defeat. "I didn't want to be hurt like that, so I hid it. And you never questioned it. Took it at face value and never judged me for what you didn't know."
"You idiot!" Arthur stood sharply and Merlin flinched, expecting him to lash out at him. Arthur's hand shot out and grabbed a hand full of his tunic, pulling him forward to wrap trembling arms around him, holding the breaking Druid together by sheer will alone.
"I may be an arrogant prat sometimes, but I would never hate you. Never hurt you, no matter how much you deserved it for being such a stupid fool, like you are most of the time when I'm not around to keep you out of trouble." He felt a faint snort against his chest at that statement. "Merlin, I don't care if you're part unicorn or part dragon. You are my friend and I will stand by you as such, no matter what happens. Unless you say something stupid, then I'll have to beat some sense back into you."
By the time he finished speaking, Merlin was shaking slightly, arms clenched tight around his waist. He could feel a warm wet patch forming on his shirt, but he said nothing, rubbing small circles into his back.
It took him a few minutes to calm down, years of pent of emotion pouring out of his body in one fell swoop. Finally, he gave a wet sniff, pulling back slightly, one hand letting go of Arthur's shirt to whip at wet eyes and nose. "Better?" Arthur asked, looking down at him. His face was red and blotchy around his eyes and on his cheeks where his tears had run.
"Sorry." He sniffed again.
"Don't be, you needed to let it off your chest." He steered him towards the bed, arms still wrapped around his shoulders in a loose embrace. "Don't you feel better? Like a load has been lifted?"
He gave a watery smile and nodded. "Yeah…thanks. You never did let me feel sorry for myself, no matter what happened." There was a small comfortable silence before he finally spoke again. "Why a unicorn and dragon?"
"Merlin." His voice was drawn out in exasperation. "I don't know. I'll probably sound like a girl, but you just remind me of them." He wasn't looking at him as he said this.
He gave a snort of laughter, but it died quickly. The room went silent again as they thought about other things. Finally Arthur broke the silence. "Merlin…what do you think about…the High Council's final ultimatum?"
Merlin had been leaning against him while they were in their own thoughts and Arthur felt him stiffen at his words. "I…it wasn't something I was expecting…, but I can see the appeal in it for them. To have a Druid as a part of Camelot's royal family is worth more than the taboo of mixing the two races."
"But what do you think about it?" Arthur waited for him to answer patiently.
"I…I see no reason not to do it, if it will help finalize the treaty‒"
"Merlin that is not what I asked. I don't want you accepting this because of some stupid sense of duty you feel. You either do it because you want to, or you don't. There isn't any middle ground. Do you want this to happen?"
"I…I…" Even in the dim lighting, he could see the red spreading up the back of his neck and ears. "I don't know. I've never thought about marrying, never thought anyone would want to be with me."
Arthur sighed loudly. "Merlin…" He put a calloused finger under his chin, lifting his face up. "Shut up." He pressed forward softly, just a brush of lips to his. Merlin was frozen underneath him, unmoving for a few seconds, before something seemed to click off in him and he pressed back tentatively. Finally, Arthur pulled back. "I think that should answer it for you."
"Prat." But he was smiling a little, leaning against his side, head on his shoulder. "You know, we're both really oblivious." He stated with a dejected sigh. "I'm mean, to not even realize this."
"I think there was too much going on around and between us to have let us see anything but the most obvious things. It's okay, I don't blame you for your obliviousness at not seeing this amazingness in front of you."
He let out an 'oomph!' as Merlin jabbed him in the side. "No need to be such a pompous prat." Arthur laughed out right at that, pushing Merlin onto his back and following, lying down next to him, both laughing.
Outside the door, a shadow detached itself from beside the door, hands at her sides to keep her gown from rustling. Midnight black locks melded into the shadows, her pale skin a stark contrast. Her lips, painted a soft red pulled up into a smile, gears already turning as she planned for the future.