The Heartbeat
Chapter 27
"Bold move"
Merlin and Arthur slowly learnt to divide their time between the kingdom and themselves. It wasn't easy because each morning it was very tempting to stay in bed and spend the day in a lazy way. However, they remembered their duties very well and they weren't reckless enough to abandon them. The only thing that mattered to them was that they could see each other every evening and that no one was disturbing them during that time.
They started to get used to this new order of things when the day of Arthur's journey to the kingdom of Nemeth came.
"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" Merlin asked him while they both were still lying in bed in the morning.
"There's no need," Arthur told him. "Besides, I would like you to keep an eye on Sir Lionel and his supporters. It's not wise to leave our kingdom under their supervision."
"Other knights would never follow him," said Merlin. "You don't need to worry about it."
"I know that most of my knights are loyal to me but Sir Lionel may try to do something stupid," Arthur insisted. "He won't dare to do it as long as you're here. Deep down he's still afraid of magic."
Merlin smiled smugly under his nose. "So you're leaving the kingdom under my watchful eye," he murmured.
"Don't get used to it. I want my kingdom back after my return," Arthur warned him jokingly and then kissed him shortly. "I know that you don't like me travelling without you but this time it's wiser for you to stay in Camelot. If my safety worries you, then it shouldn't. Your heart will protect me even if you're away from me." The affection in his voice was clear and it made Merlin's heart flutter in his chest.
"I know," said Merlin quietly. "But I'll still miss you."
Arthur embraced him tightly. "I'll be gone only for a few days," he whispered into his ear. "You'll barely notice I'm not here."
"I doubt that," said Merlin honestly. "But I know how important it is. I'll take care of Camelot for you. Don't worry about it."
Arthur smiled at him. He was so happy that he was loved by such a wonderful man. He didn't know what he did to deserve Merlin.
oOoOo
While Arthur was gone, the time seemed to run extremely slowly. Merlin was missing Arthur and their heated evenings and lazy mornings, but he remembered his promise. He didn't pretend to be Arthur and he didn't perform all his kingly duties, but the knights seemed to know that he was in charge while the king was away.
Merlin could feel their eyes on his neck. He was certain that they were also whispering behind his back. However, not all of them were spiteful. Percival tended to smile at him mysteriously these days but Gilli was the worst. He didn't even try to hide his smugness every time he saw Merlin. Moreover, the physician was teasing him with suggestive remarks. Merlin tried to hush him but it was pointless, so he gave up completely. Gilli just didn't seem bothered by the fact that two men had an affair at all. He encouraged it with his whole heart and, what was the worst, he didn't mind to speak of it in front of the others. Merlin had to work very hard not to ruin Arthur's reputation in the castle.
Sir Lionel avoided Merlin at all costs, however when he had to talk to Merlin about some pressing matter, he kept his distance. Nonetheless, Merlin could see something that resembled disgust in his eyes. It didn't surprise him or make him feel uncomfortable. After all, Merlin once promised himself to never be bothered by such people as Sir Lionel. The only nobility that he had was in his title. His behaviour was very shady and uncertain. It made Merlin wonder how he could call himself a knight of Camelot. He didn't deserve this privilege.
Fortunately, Sir Lionel didn't dare to do anything while Merlin was watching him. His spiteful glances couldn't hurt the kingdom, so Merlin didn't care about them at all.
When Arthur finally came back from his visit to Nemeth, Merlin had to restrain himself from showing his affection in public. All he wanted to do was to hug him tightly and kiss him senseless until the end of day. However, he had enough sense to just smile at his king and pat his shoulders lightly. The display of affection needed to wait until the evening, when they would be alone behind the closed doors.
"How did it go?" Merlin whispered when they walked hand in hand to the throne room. There were a few pressing matters that Arthur had to attend to, and he didn't even have time to take some rest after his journey.
"We'll talk in the evening," murmured Arthur and smiled at him mysteriously.
Merlin started hating these words.
oOoOo
The moment Arthur crossed the door of Merlin's chambers, his lover was by his side, but instead of kissing him, he started asking him questions.
"What did Mithian and Leon say? Do they like your idea? Did you see their son? How did it go?" Merlin said it all in one breath.
Arthur was a bit amused by his behaviour. "I missed you too, Merlin," he said teasingly. "Yes, my travel to Nemeth went smoothly and my road back home was safe. Thank you for asking."
Merlin shook his head. "You know that I missed you, Arthur. That's obvious. You can't blame me for being curious."
"I know," said Arthur and led him to the armchair. "Take a seat and I'll tell you everything."
Merlin was a bit annoyed that Arthur was treating him like a child but deep down he understood it. After all, the way he behaved a moment ago wasn't too mature either. To some extent, he deserved to be treated like a child.
He calmed down and looked at Arthur expectantly.
"That's better," said Arthur, as he took a seat opposite Merlin. "Leon and Mithian were surprised by my proposal. They had to think it through but in the end they agreed with me." He grinned victoriously at Merlin. "Philip will become my heir. The future of Camelot is secured."
Merlin let go of a breath that he didn't know he was holding. He was so happy to hear this good news. The Council just couldn't reject the choice of such a noble candidate as son of Leon and Mithian.
"That's wonderful," said Merlin and jumped into Arthur's welcoming arms. The armchair creaked under their combined weight but he didn't care. He could repair it with his magic if it came to it.
"I thought so too," murmured Arthur and kissed him tenderly. "Will you show me now how much you missed me?" he asked teasingly.
Merlin's eyes filled with lust. He smirked and attacked Arthur's lips forcefully.
In the end he had to repair the armchair and several other items in his room. After a few days of separation Merlin's magic became a bit wild, just like the first time they made love. However, he wasn't going to complain. It was a small price to pay for having Arthur in his arms again.
oOoOo
Merlin and Arthur tried very hard to be subtle about their affection outside their chambers. However, it was easier said than done and soon they realised that half of the castle was gossiping about them.
Sometimes Arthur couldn't help himself and he did affectionate gestures towards Merlin in wrong places. One time he grabbed Merlin's hand and leaned down to peck him in the throne room because they thought they were there alone. As they found out a moment later, they weren't. One of the serving girls, who came there to dust the floor, squealed seeing them and then rushed out of the room with a huge blush on her cheeks.
"All servants will know about it by the end of the day," murmured Merlin. "We must be more careful."
Arthur shrugged lightly. "It's obvious they've already known about us," he said. "I'm not going to keep you my dirty little secret, Merlin. You don't deserve such treatment."
"There is a difference between keeping up the appearances and making me your dirty secret," Merlin insisted. "I don't want people to undermine your position because of me."
"They won't," Arthur assured him. "Don't worry about it."
It wasn't Merlin's fault that his life mainly consisted of worrying about Arthur. He couldn't help it. This necessity had become even stronger since their souls bonded in their love making.
During next week, Merlin and Arthur were seen in various intimate moments by different inhabitants of the castle. It was never something considerably serious, but it was enough to give birth to a juicy gossip.
By the end of the next week, the gossip spread all over Camelot, reaching the farthest parts of the city. Some people were clearly judgemental but most of them were only giving their King and the Court Sorcerer curious looks. Merlin knew that something huge was going to happen out of it, but each time he voiced his concern, Arthur silenced him with a kiss.
It all was going like this until the day when the small group of knights, with Sir Lionel as their leader, approached Arthur and demanded an immediate Council meeting without Merlin's presence.
"I have nothing to hide from Merlin," Arthur said firmly when they voiced their demand. "He is a member of my Council and he has every right to attend the meeting."
"We would like to discuss the matters that concern Merlin directly, my lord. It's wiser to do it in his absence," Sir Lionel tried to explain their motive.
"Wiser or easier?" Arthur asked them. "If the matter concerns Merlin, then he has right to hear it and defend himself."
The knights looked at one another, knowing that there was no way to convince their king. "All right, Sire," Sir Lionel spoke on behalf of their group. "Merlin may listen to our concerns if it's necessary."
"That's better," said Arthur. "We can meet in an hour in the Council Room. Please inform the rest of the Council."
When they walked away, he paced quickly to Merlin's chambers. He needed to warn him and they both needed to get prepared for what was to come.
oOoOo
Arthur greeted the members of his Council shortly. There was no time for pleasantries, as they all knew that what they were to discuss was tough.
"You can start, Sir Lionel," Arthur told him coldly.
The knight cleared his throat and looked around, most likely looking for support from his fellow knights. "We are worried about your position in Albion, Sire," he started. "We believe that your close friendship with the Court Sorcerer may affect you and your decisions in some way."
Merlin started glaring at Sir Lionel with anger and Arthur was certain that it scared his knight thoroughly, even though he did a good job to hide it.
"I can't see any threat to my position in Albion, Sir Lionel," said Arthur calmly. "Could you elaborate?"
"There are rumours around the castle about certain indecencies." This time his voice was hesitant. "To be clear, we don't blame you, Sire," he added quickly.
"You blame Merlin then," said Arthur, looking him in the eye defiantly.
"He has magic, my lord," murmured the knight. "He's capable of influencing you in certain ways."
"I would never do that," said Merlin through his teeth. He had to use all his willpower to restrain himself from doing something stupid. He needed to remember that he was supposed to prove that not all magic users were mad or had thirst for power.
"I'm talking to the king, not you," said Sir Lionel spitefully but avoided the eye contact with him.
"Calm down, Merlin," Arthur told him quietly. "I can handle it."
All Merlin's instincts were telling him that he needed to protect Arthur but he also wanted to respect his will. Arthur had to deal with his Council alone and on his own terms. Otherwise, they wouldn't believe that he was completely independent and aware of what he was doing.
"Sir Lionel, Merlin doesn't use magic to influence my decisions," said Arthur calmly. "I value his opinion and consider it every time he states one, but the decision is always mine. I can assure you that Merlin's magic is not involved when it comes to ruling this kingdom."
"Perhaps he's hiding it well," Sir Lionel mumbled.
"Do you have any proof to support your accusation?" Arthur asked him.
"I mentioned the indecencies," said the knight but his voice started cracking.
"What indecencies?"
This question made Sir Lionel blush. He looked around, hoping that one of the knights would support him, but all of those who seemed to be on his side a moment ago started avoiding his sight. He sighed inwardly. There was no choice – he had to say it all alone.
"People saw the two of you, Sire... They saw you in the moments that seemed quite... intimate." He hoped that he chose the right words. He had no desire to follow in Sir Lamorak's footsteps.
"They were intimate," said Arthur openly, making some of his knights gasp in surprise. "The nature of my relationship with Merlin has changed recently. Although, it's true that we should be more thoughtful and careful concerning the time or place of our encounters. I assure you that we didn't want to put all these poor people in an awkward position. However, I can confirm here that these things occurred and that they'll still be happening."
For a few moments Sir Lionel was looking at him in disbelief. Then he remembered why he was there and continued what he started. "Don't you think that it's unwise to maintain this relationship?" he asked uncertainly. "Other kingdoms may see your new preferences as a sign of weakness."
Arthur had to suppress his laughter. He hoped that the knight was going to say something along these lines. "Do you find me weak, Sir Lionel? Or Merlin?"
At these words Sir Lionel glanced at Merlin who had his eyebrow raised in anticipation. It was clear that the knight feared him. Merlin could be named in various ways but weak was not one of them.
"No, my lord," he murmured, lowering his gaze.
"Then other kingdoms won't find us weak either," said Arthur decisively.
Sir Lionel was aware that he was about to lose this fight. He knew that he had to do something to save his face. That was why he decided to use one last argument that came to his mind.
"What about an heir?" he asked, collecting all the courage that he still had. "Merlin can't give you that and the kingdom without an heir is weak and its future is uncertain.
"I'm glad you're bringing up this subject, Sir Lionel," said Arthur, somehow amused. "I told you before that I'm going to name my heir."
"You did mention that, Sire, but we haven't learnt his name yet. What if he's not worthy? What if people don't accept him?"
"I have a feeling they will." Arthur didn't even try to hide his smugness. "I already know the name of my heir. He's the son of one of the best men Camelot ever had and I'm certain that this boy will have the upbringing that suits the future king of Camelot."
All knights looked at him with anticipation.
"Who is he?" asked still young and naïve Sir Galahad. The knight was under a huge influence of Sir Lionel, but Arthur hoped that there was still a chance for him. He was a great fighter, although still very malleable.
Arthur smiled at them. "It's prince Philip, the son of King Leon and Queen Mithian, and the heir to the throne of Nemeth. He's the one who will unite our kingdoms," he said smoothly.
"But it's not traditional to unite two kingdoms in this way," Sir Lionel protested. "It should be done through marriage."
"It is... in a way," Arthur started explaining his point of view. "Prince Philip was born through the marriage between Leon of Camelot and Mithian of Nemeth. It's fitting that one day he will rule both of these kingdoms."
The Council remained silent, thinking intensely about what he just said.
"There was a time when I thought that I would marry Princess Mithian, uniting our kingdoms through our marriage," he continued. "For various reasons our marriage never happened, but today I know that our kingdoms can still be united. It will make us stronger. Don't you want this?"
Some of the knights started nodding and humming approvingly. Arthur couldn't help smiling at them. He won more than just this argument with Sir Lionel. He saw hope, trust and acceptance in the faces of his knights. All his effort was worth it.
When the Council meeting was over, a few of his knights still remained in the Council room. Sir Lionel was one of them. He walked up to Arthur and whispered, "You should have kept Merlin your secret, Sire. It would have been a wiser choice."
"I beg to differ," Arthur replied instantly. "I'm an honest man and I'm not ashamed of what I have with Merlin. I hope that one day you will understand it too."
Sir Lionel didn't say anything. He kept an eye contact with Arthur for a few seconds and then walked away with a raised head.
Once Sir Lionel was gone, Sir Percival approached him.
"Hello, Sire," he greeted him, smiling under his nose. "I just wanted to tell you that you shouldn't worry about Sir Lionel."
"I'm not going to," Arthur assured him.
"Good," said Percival. "Most of the knights have known or suspected that there is something special between you and Merlin for a long time. We respect you, Sire, and we wouldn't trade you for any other ruler."
Arthur was flattered by his words. "Thank you, Percival. That's appreciated."
"We accept you, Arthur," the knight added in an unofficial tone. "We're fond of you and Merlin, and we understand." Then he hesitated for a moment. "I understand."
Arthur was certain that Percival meant Gwaine. He wanted to say something to console him but there were no such words. "Thank you," he said simply.
Percival nodded at him and left the room quietly.
Merlin was waiting for Arthur outside the Council room. He decided to leave him alone to talk to the knights that wanted this. When Arthur finally left the room alone, he smiled at awaiting Merlin.
"That's why they know about us," he murmured jokingly.
"No, they know about us because you can't keep your hands to yourself," Merlin teased him. "How do you feel?" he asked in a more serious tone.
"Better than before. I felt a huge relief when I told them the truth," he admitted.
Merlin nodded understandingly but sighed lightly. "It's not the end," he mumbled. "Sir Lionel will do something stupid. I can feel that. He's like a wounded animal who can bite any moment."
"We will deal with it later," Arthur told him calmly. "I'm tired now and I would like to spend a quiet evening with the man I love."
Merlin couldn't argue with that.
oOoOo
They found out a few days later that Sir Lionel was indeed like a wounded animal. He was desperate enough to have his men spread some nasty rumours all over Camelot. These rumours concerned Arthur and Merlin but this time they couldn't be further from the truth. They said that the king had an affair with Merlin while the Queen Guinevere was still alive, perhaps even when Merlin was a mere servants.
These rumours hurt Merlin deeply. He had loved Arthur for years but he never dared to do anything when Gwen was still among them. He valued Arthur's marriage and his own friendship with Gwen too much to do something so unfaithful.
Arthur, however, didn't seem to share his anger.
"How can you be so calm about it?" Merlin asked him eventually. "Lionel is trying to ruin your reputation."
"We know the truth, Merlin, and that's what matters to me," Arthur told him quietly.
"But the people..." Merlin insisted but Arthur hushed him with a kiss.
"Don't worry about people. They have their own reason and they'll believe in whatever they want to believe," he said simply.
Merlin still didn't understand Arthur's calmness but he agreed not to talk about this for the time being. Perhaps this one time everything would end up fine without his interference.
A couple of days later, during the Council meeting and to Merlin's great surprise, Sir Lionel stated that he was leaving the citadel to spend the rest of his life living in the countryside with his wife and grandchildren.
"I hope you will release me from my service, Sire," he said. "I should take care of my health and my loved ones while I'm still capable of it."
"You are released from all your duties," said Arthur with a smile. "You served Camelot for many years. You deserve to retire now."
Sir Lionel avoided his gaze at all costs. "I leave my eldest son to serve you and the kingdom," he added, nodding at Sir Bors.
"You're very kind, Sir Lionel. Thank you for your service." Somehow, Arthur managed to keep a serious tone through this whole conversation. Merlin was impressed.
"How did you do that?" Merlin asked Arthur when they were finally left alone in the Council room.
"How did I do what?" Arthur asked him nonchalantly.
"You know very well what I mean," said Merlin, a bit annoyed. "How did you make Sir Lionel leave the city?"
"I didn't make him do anything," replied Arthur smoothly. "You heard him. That was his decision."
"Right," murmured Merlin. "I will wipe this smugness off your face tonight, Pendragon, and you will tell me everything."
Arthur laughed wholeheartedly at this threat, which was really a promise of a very pleasant evening. "You're welcome to try," he said and kissed him shortly. "But I can't promise you anything."
Merlin couldn't help grinning at him. Arthur knew how to get him to do exactly what he wanted. It was so ridiculous that some people believed that Merlin was the one who was influencing Arthur. They couldn't be more mistaken.