Merlin reached under his bed and bought out the small wooden box he'd hidden there. He clicked it open and smiled, here is where he kept all his keep sakes. Inside was his enchanted leather, he'd added new memories now, ones of himself and Arthur and even one of Uther sitting on his throne. There was his dagger crested with the seal of the Pendragon's that Uther had given him when he learnt to throw knives. The seal Arthur had given him that had once belonged to his mother. He'd taken to wearing the seal on his belt nowadays, just like how Arthur always wore the stone bear Merlin gave him.

"Sire, the king is looking for you." His servant Will called from the doorway, "Are you ready?"

"Yes, I'm coming." Merlin replied attaching the seal to his belt, "You can still call him my brother you know."

It had been a few weeks since Uther's death, Arthur had been rushing from job to job ever since. Merlin helped as much as he could but there was only so much he could do. Naturally the first thing they had spoken about was the ban on magic, Merlin had been keen to change it straight away but Arthur had pointed out the problem with doing that.

"Merlin what will the people think if, the day after our fathers death, we eradicate his most famous law?" Arthur asked him.

"They will think we're like Morgana." Merlin sighed.

"We will keep the law for a while, but we will be lenient." Arthur said softly, "I promise I wont be sentencing any healers or innocent druids to death."

"How long?" Merlin asked dejectedly.

"I don't know, but we need to let the people come into contact with magic slowly, so they trust it again."

"So I'm still in hiding." Merlin sighed looking away from Arthur, he knew his brother was right but he was so tired of hiding.

"I know I'm sorry." Arthur placed a hand on his shoulder, "I promise you won't have to forever."

"It's not your fault, I know you're right." Merlin smiled sadly, "So, we need to let people trust magic, apart from sparing people who don't use magic for evil is there anything else we can do?"

"I think so." Arthur smiled.

...

Arthur was waiting for him on the balcony, just out of sight of the crowd gathered below. The people were curious as to what Arthur's first decree as king would be, basically all of Camelot was in the courtyard. Merlin smiled and Arthur elbowed him.

"Late as always." He teased, Merlin shrugged and pushed his brother towards to parapets and the people let out a cheer. Merlin stepped up next to him smiling.

"People of Camelot," Arthur began, only Merlin could detect the trace of nervousness in his voice.

"For twenty years we have hunted and persecuted the Druid people because of the magic that was part of their culture. They were chased from their homes and forced to live in forests in tents. Forced to risk their necks sneaking into towns just to get basic supplies. Today I am putting a stop to that."

The crowd was silent.

"Many of you may have noticed my brother Merlin leaving the city a lot in the past few weeks for days at a time." Arthur continued, "He has been visiting the druids, and completing a treaty with their people. Not all druids practice magic, these days very few in fact. In exchange for their acceptance and equality in out culture those who do practice magic have been sworn to do so no longer."

What he conveniently left out was the fact that all Druids knew Merlin was Emrys and happily agreed not to use magic in the presence of other people. They were not banned from practicing as Arthur implied, they were simply to be discreet. Merlin explained Arthur's plan to integrate magic in slowly, starting with the laxer rules and their welcome to Camelot.

"From now on, the Druids are just as much a citizen of Camelot as you are." Arthur told the people, "My fathers rule bought peace to a degree and I will always respect that, but it also spread ignorance and hate. We need to be willing to accept these people, they are a peaceful people and I have no doubt they will bring nothing but happiness to our community."

At first the princes were nervous when Arthur's speech was met with silence, until a few seconds past and their ears were met with cheers.

"Long live King Arthur!"

"Long live the king!"

...

Slowly but surely the Druids became a ore and more common sight in the city, some seemed nervous at first but soon they were right at home. Some tribes moved into the city, others were finally able to make permanent homes, villages of their own. Many of them spoke to Merlin privately when he walked through town through telepathy, normal people being none the wiser. Usually they were just thanking him for allowing them inside the city, sometimes they told him the goings on in the city. Everything from new births to corrupt guards.

The people of Camelot were slightly wary at first, tension ran high, but it only took a few weeks for them to accept the Druid people. Many of them were wonderful healers and physicians, Merlin had allowed them to make magical tinctures and potions as long as the people taking them didn't know it was magic.

"You're doing well you know." Merlin told his brother who he'd found asleep in his stew.

"Thank you." Arthur sighed trying to clean his face.

"You should sleep in bed, not your dinner." Merlin laughed.

"I was up late thinking about the taxes and-"

"Arthur!" Merlin chuckled, "Take a break, you're doing fine!"

Arthur sighed and looked out the window, Merlin could tell he felt like he was drowning in expectations. He had to help Arthur loosen up a little until he became comfortable being king. Grinning to himself he locked the door and levitated a pillow off Arthur's bed and aimed it at Arthur's shoulder.

Arthur raised an eyebrow at his brother.

"Kings do not have pillow fights Merlin." He drawled.

"Prince Arthur did." Merlin teased.

"Well King Arthur does not." Arthur replied tersely. Merlin flung another pillow at him, Arthur was trying not to smile now.

"Oh fine." Merlin sighed turning to leave only to have a cushion hit the back of his head.

The warlock grinned.

Hehe :P