Uther pulled his sword from the entertainers body, the man slumped against the floor, dead. Uther stumbled backwards a few steps while his sons looked on wide eyed.
"Father?" Arthur asked weakly, he got no reply.
The eldest prince barely moved forward in time to catch the king as he fell to the ground. Merlin scurried over to where Arthur was holding Uther in his lap, they were both in shock. Trembling, Arthur removed his hand from his father's side, it came away red. The white shirt the king was dressed in was bloodied and slowly the stain was moving outwards.
"No..." Arthur whispered.
"Guards...guards!" Merlin yelled weakly, nobody replied. The entertainer had probably killed them on the way in.
"I'll go get help." said Merlin, he was about to get to his feet but Uther griped the hem on his shirt weakly.
"Stay with me." He whispered.
"We're here father." Arthur insisted, "Guards! Some one...we need help..."
The call had started off strong but Arthur was half sobbing by the time it was finished.
"It's my time." Uther whispered.
"No." Arthur denied quickly, "You can't die."
"I know you will both make me proud, as you have always done." Uther whispered weakly, his eyes were fluttering closed.
"No, stop it." Merlin begged.
"You will be a great king Arthur." Uther continued.
"I-I'm not ready." Arthur shook his head quickly.
"You've been ready...for some time." Uther insisted, "And Merlin will make a great advisor."
"No, we need you." Merlin insisted, he could feel tears burning behind his eyes.
"I know I've not been a...a good father." Uther continued, "I put my duty to Camelot first...I'm sorry."
"Don't say that." Arthur sobbed.
Uther placed his hand over Arthur's and Merlin's where they were sitting over his wound.
"But know this...I've always loved you." The king whispered, "Both of you."
And with that the kings eyes fluttered closed and he became very still, Arthur sobbed. Merlin for once was the least emotional, outwardly at least. He looked away and squeezed his eyes closed to stop the tears from leaking out.
"Can't you do something?" Arthur begged.
"I...I'll try." Merlin bit his lip.
Shakily he placed his hand over the wound and focused as hard as he could.
"Ic þe þurhhæle þin licsare mid þam sundorcræftas þære ealdaþ æ!" He hissed, eyes burned brighter than they ever had before but it made no difference.
"Try again!" Arthur insisted, Merlin shook his head weakly.
"That's the most powerful healing spell I know of, if it didn't work now...it's too late." Merlin sobbed a little toward the end.
"He...he can't be gone!" Arthur sobbed, Merlin had never seen him so distraught.
"I tried..." Merlin hung his head in shame, his greatest gift and he couldn't even save his own father.
"I know." Arthur whispered.
Slowly he lowered Uther onto the ground at his feet, for a while both the brothers stayed, kneeling either side just looking down at the king. Silently hoping for some miracle to occur and start his heart again, but no such miracle came. Eventually Merlin came to sit next to Arthur against the foot of Uther's bed and both began blinking back tears once more.
And that's how Gaius found them, hours later when he came to check on the king and found his guards dead at the door. Uther laid on the ground with his sons sitting by his body with their arms wrapped around each other and tear tracks down their faces. Merlin had his head resting on Arthur's shoulder, Arthur's head rested against Merlin's.
Somehow they managed to relay the story of Uther's death, Gaius confirmed with a quick examination that they had been drugged, Merlin through the apple, Arthur with the final glass of wine. Agravaine tried to force Arthur to his feet but the two princes clung to each other intently.
"I'll take care of this, you two need to get a few hours sleep." Gaius hushed helping them to their feet together, "I will prepare the king for his funeral ceremony tomorrow evening."
The princes nodded wearily as headed down the halls toward their rooms with their heads low. Arthur's room was closest, but instead of continuing to his own room Merlin followed him inside, leaning against the door as it closed.
"You're king." The warlock murmured, "You'll be crowned day after tomorrow."
"I know." Arthur replied, "We're both orphans now."
"Our sister hates us and wants us dead." Merlin added darkly.
"You're the only family I have left." Arthur replied sitting down on the fur rug by his fire.
"There's Agravaine." Merlin pointed out as he joined him.
"A man whose been absent our entire lives and pretends you don't exist." Arthur scoffed.
Eventually the fire dimmed and so did the princes consciousness. The two fell asleep on the rug as they always did when they were stressed or upset. In the morning nobody woke them, nobody could bare to.
...
The princes spent the day trying to prepare for Uther's funeral. They would be given time alone with his body, to mourn, from dusk until dawn. Then they would burry the body and Arthur would be crowned king. The two were grateful Gaius had taken care of the arrangements, neither of them felt strong enough. Finally the sun began to set and the brothers dressed in their formal attire, nobody spoke to them as they opened the doors to the great hall and closed them again, stone faced.
The king was dressed in his formal attire, complete with crown and ceremonial sword. The body was resting on an ornate platform with the Pendragon crest adorning the cloth. The otherwise dark room was lit only with a few sparse candle and moon light. It was a haunting scene.
Merlin knew Arthur was hurting more than he. Though he cared for Uther as a father, even loved him to a degree, there had been and always would be a rift between the king and his youngest son. Fate granted Merlin magic, that would always dampen his relationship with his father. But he was still his father after all, the only father he'd ever known, deep down Merlin knew Uther had accepted and loved him. He would mourn his loss, but he would not be scarred like Arthur.
They sat at their fathers side, occasionally whispering words to the body, or one another and before they knew it the sun was rising. Golden rays replaces silver and warmed the room.
"It's a new day." Arthur sighed, Merlin nodded.
It was time to take Uther to the crypt.
...
People rushed into the throne room, knights, nobles, peasants. Music echoed about the castle as the ceremony began. Merlin stood to the right of the golden throne, small silver crown adorning his brow, now he was regent and advisor to the king.
Everybody in the crowd bowed as Arthur entered, red cape flowing out behind him, Merlin couldn't help but smile. Geoffrey held the great golden crown in his hands as Arthur kneeled before the throne.
"Will you solemnly promise and swear to govern the Peoples of Camelot according to their respective laws and customs?" He asked.
"I solemnly swear to do so." Arthur replied.
"Will you to your power cause Law and Justice, in Mercy, to be executed in all your judgments?"
"I will."
"Then by the sacred laws vested in me, I pronounce you Arthur, King of Camelot!"
Geoffrey gently placed the golden crown on Arthur's head, Merlin beamed proudly. The brothers locked eyes for a short second as the elder turned to face the crowd.
"Long live the king!" Merlin yelled.
"Long live the king!" The crowd replied.
"Long live the king! Long live the king!"
Yeah I decided to take this episode in another direction than in the show. So sue me. :P I've been burried under my thesis work, 6,789 so far and I've only done 2 out of 7 chapters .