A/N: Sorry I was gone so long! School has been killing me. And it's finals week. So what am I doing? Not studying haha. I hope you guys enjoy this chapter. It's just some background into Arthur's life!

Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to BBC.

You burnt my heart to stone

Arthur remembers being young, just barely a toddler, when his nursemaid would read him fairy tales before bed. They started pleasant enough, with princes and princesses and mad wars, but as he got older, the stories turned darker. The woman, Violet if he remembers correctly, told him of sorcerers, of their greed and lust for blood, of handsome, brave princes defeating them and saving the princess. And by the time he was five, the stories only contained the tales of sorcerers killing and hurting people, there were no brave princes to save anyone, "that's where you come in, Arthur. You have to be the brave prince."

When he was six, his father deemed it necessary for him to learn how the world worked and made him stand out on the balcony over the courtyard and listen to the screams of dying sorcerers. Once he had turned away from the scene – a mother and her boy, the same age as him, tied to a pyre – a single tear rolling down his cheek. Uther had grabbed his chin and scolded him, "You're a prince, Arthur. You must never appear to be weak, and more importantly," his cold grey eyes settled on Arthur's face, "you must never show them sympathy, they do not deserve it."

When he was eight, a sorcerer broke into his room. Arthur had awoken to the sound of his chamber doors flying off the hinges and hitting the wall. He had seen the two guards laying cold outside his door and the mad sorcerer's eyes gleaming darkly in the moonlight and had screamed. The guards were already coming, but not before the sorcerer threw out his hands and sent fire straight for Arthur. He had walked away with a severe burn on his left arm, where he had tried to shield his face. His father had set him down after the incident, and said, "Do you see now why they must burn? Remember and never forget, son, what happen here tonight. Carry this scar," he had pointed to the wrapped arm, to the burn underneath that would surely scar, "it will be your reminder. And it will be your strength."

The sorcerer was burned the next day, Arthur didn't even blink.

When he was eleven, he had asked Violet about his mother. She told him sorcerers, friends of hers that she had originally trusted, had killed her and that's why Uther had initiated the Great Purge. One day, he worked up the courage to ask his father about his mother. They had been standing in the throne room, discussing sanctions, when he had turned and asked, "The sorcerers that killed my mother, were they your friends too?"

Uther had turned, all stoney eyes and tight-lipped grimaces, and had backhanded him, "Never ask me that again."

Arthur never did.

When he was thirteen, he started to study ranks and what they meant. He learned the King came above all else, besides God himself, and then came princes and then dukes and lords, then knights, then servants, then peasants, and then slaves. Before he even asked, his tutor stared at him, "Even slaves are above sorcerers. Sorcerers are lower than the dirt of the earth. Their breed is not human. You must never treat them as such."

Years passed, some with more executions than others, but it appeared that Uther was finally winning the war against magic. Violet, who had since become his tutor, would lean over, pointing to a history book and said, "Rejoice, Your Majesty. For you will have played a part in the Great Purge."

When he was fifteen, his father sent him and a few soldiers to raid a druid camp on the border under the pretense that the druids had threatened them (Arthur never did see proof, but then again he never asked for any). The druids heard them coming and they attempted to run, but these were seasoned soldiers and they caught up easily. They killed most of them, only taking the leaders hostage. The older knights had told him, "Someone has to stand trial," but Arthur knew that really meant that they needed someone to be executed in the courtyard for the public. The leaders had been forced to their knees in front of him, lined up side-by-side. Arthur had walked by each and everyone, giving the traditional speech, "You are being accused of sorcery. You have the right to stand trial," and so on and so on. One, a delicate woman who didn't look like she was capable of causing any harm, had spit on him. He had stopped dead, clenching his jaw as he turned to face her. He raised an eyebrow, challenging her. She had screamed, her voice hoarse and tired, "What did we ever do to you!? What has given you the right to discriminate against us, to burn us without even batting an eyelid. You hunt us like animals, like we are less than human, but look at us, do we look any different from you!?"

He knelt beside her, his face eerily close, "My eyes don't burn gold."

She had laughed at that, "No, your eyes burn red with the blood of innocent men you have slayed. You will rot in hell."

"That may be true, but you will beat me there. Kill her," he stood up, turned away, as one of the knights unsheathed his sword.

"There is someone coming for you. We have waited for him and he's coming. He will end your reign and set us free," her voice was nothing but a harsh whisper.

He turned away as the knight removed her head from her shoulders. It was the first execution order he had ever given.

He had asked Gaius about it. Gaius simply said, "The druids believe there is a man more powerful than any sorcerer before him and any sorcerer after him. He will be their savior and end the Great Purge, but don't worry, Your Majesty, they're just legends." And while he had said this, his eyes adverted, but Arthur didn't push.

By the time he was a grown man, Arthur had seen hundreds, even thousands, of men blamed for sorcery. He, as well as everyone else, knows that when you're accused of sorcery, there is no being proven innocent. As soon as the word sorcery leaves Uther's mouth, the pyre is all they have to look forward to. And he never questioned it, never pushed for further investigations to prove someone's innocence. He wore the scar on his arm and the hole in his heart left by his mother proudly, the permanent reminder of the damage the sorcerers had inflected on him. Morgana was different, she questioned every trial, especially those of young children, and the bruises around her neck bore to witness what happen to those that questioned Uther.

The nightmares got better. Arthur stopped dreaming of screaming children and golden eyes. He stared ahead during public executions, not blinking, not showing weakness, every bit of the prince he was raised to be. His father stood behind him proudly, smiling, every bit of the mad king the sorcerers screamed of.

Now though, with the man meant to end his reign trailing behind him, Arthur felt a dead weight settle on his chest as they rode into the courtyard. He dismounted, handing his reins to the servant. He marched to the back of the group, dismissing the soldiers and taking the lead of Merlin's rope.

One of the knights was standing by him and he whispered, "You should take off the blindfold, Your Majesty. Let the people see him for who he is. They will be proud of you and he will be your biggest prize yet."

Merlin visibly flinched and Arthur clenched his jaw, but he said nothing, just reached up to remove the blindfold.

Merlin immediately squinted, his eyes trying to adjust to the sunlight. He turned his gaze to Arthur, the brilliant gold catching Arthur's breath again. Arthur turned to face the other knight, "Leave us. I wish to present him to my father alone."

"Yes, sir." And they were gone, heading up the stairs, probably to head to the throne room where they would watch Uther's judgment.

He turned back to Merlin, "Are you okay?"

Merlin smirked, "Putting me in the shade before you pulled off my blindfold would have been nice. And the fact that I'm about to be executed kind of puts a damper on my mood, but other than that, I'm fine."

"Shut up, Merlin," he glanced over his shoulder to the castle to make sure no one was watching, "Can you make your eyes blue again? It might help sway his decision."

"What decision?"

"To execute you or to send you into exile."

Merlin laughed, it sounded almost insane, "Don't be stupid, Arthur. He's already made his decision before he even met me."

"Your Majesty, not Arthur. No one here will hesitate to kill a sorcerer who disrespects my rank. And we don't know that yet, we haven't tried." But Arthur did know.

"I won't hide who I am. I represent strength for my people, I can't afford to be cowardly."

"Your bravery will be the end of you, I swear." Arthur said quietly and then turned and led Merlin into the castle. Passing servants stumbled as they caught look of Merlin's face, one even going as far as to jump out of the way. Arthur bit his tongue, ignoring it all as he proceeded up the stairs towards the throne room.

"Art-Your Majesty, wait," Merlin suddenly called, halfway up the stairs behind Arthur.

Arthur turned to him and raised an eyebrow. Merlin was looking out the window, toward the other end of the courtyard, where a pyre was already being built. His eyes were half closed, and for a moment, he looked like different. He didn't look like the all-powerful sorcerer that could rain down the heavens and burn the earth. He looked like just a boy, and not the animal he was believed to be. He looked scared and alone and so incredibly sad. He looked like a boy forced to grow up too fast, forced to run and kill and hide away, all because he was born different in a time where being different meant you weren't human.

He turned his eyes back to Arthur, and the brave face was back on, "Don't call me Merlin in there, please. Don't let them know my real name. I'm begging you."

Arthur's eyebrows furrowed, "I won't, but wh-"

"Merlin is just a farm boy from Ealdor. That's who I am. Emrys is a legend, a savior, a figurehead. They," he looked towards the doors at the top of the stairs, "don't know me. They don't deserve to. They know Emrys. Let them believe that's all I am."

Arthur understood that, he did. He was Prince Arthur, Heir to all of Camelot. That's who he was to everyone, who he had to be. No one knew just Arthur without the title, and he couldn't let them. The idea of it made him feel vulnerable and he didn't trust anyone enough to be just Arthur. If Merlin wanted the public to see him as Emrys and not Merlin, the farmboy from Ealdor, he could respect that.

Arthur gave him what he hopes was a reassuring look and pulled him up the rest of the stairs until they reached the door. He gave one last look to Merlin, hoping Merlin could read his mind, trust me, as the guards moved to grab each arm. Arthur shook his head and the guards backed off, choosing to open the doors intead.

The throne room was set up like it always was during a trial, with Uther sitting on the throne, Morgana on his left and an empty throne for the prince on his rights. Servants, knights, lords and other various people lined up on the sides of the room, awaiting the trial.

Arthur stopped in the center of the room, Merlin standing a foot or two behind him, staring straight ahead, avoiding the eyes of his hunter.

"We feared you dead," Uther spoke up after a moment of silence where he raked his eyes up and down Merlin's body several times. Morgana looks uncomfortable beside him, Killed by this savage."

"Emrys was nothing but hospitable during my time with me. He wished to have a week to say goodbye to the people he loves. I had no choice but to respect that."

Uther laughed, but it wasn't an easy laugh, it was the laugh he did when he was mocking Arthur, and there was disappointment evident in his eyes, "You know better than to show respect or sympathy for their type. But you delivered nevertheless. Well done, my son," Uther said, standing from his throne and approaching the two of them. Arthur stood almost protectively in front of Merlin, tensing as Uther drew nearer. Uther stopped, observed Merlin, who's standing quietly, hands tied behind his back and head bowed, "My men tell me he didn't resist. How did you get him to come willingly?"

Arthur turned over his shoulder, to which Merlin raised his golden eyes to meet them, sad and withdrawn. And he thinks, maybe, just maybe, he could save them all, "I promised him that you would talk to him. Let him stand trial. He wants peace, he doesn't want a war," he glances back where Merlin is staring at him with a small smile, a small flicker of hope, "A treaty with him could be valuable, father. At least think it over."

"He's a sorcerer, Arthur," Uther says, as if the gold eyes aren't obvious.

"Yes, but he's also human. He's never wronged Camelot, nor has his people, yet you hunt him like an animal. By law, he has no reason to be sentenced to death."

"He's guilty of using magic. Do not let him to poison your mind."

"He's not using magic on any of us right now. He never has in Camelot. By law, he is innocent."

"And the eyes?"

"He's cast a spell on the druid camp in Cendred's land. Outside of Camelot. It's a protection spell, nothing harmful."

Uther is silent for a second and then he shakes his head, "Obviously he has you enchanted."

"Father, I am not enchanted. I've spent the last week watching how people have been persecuted just for being who they are. It's not fair, it's not just, and I won't stand for it anymore," at this, several of the people among them gasped and whispers filled the room.

Uther cast them a single glance before he laughed, it was a horrible and heart wrenching sound, clothed with death "Don't let yourself be fooled by simple-minded sorcerers."

"He's not a fool."

"Arrest him."

Arthur turned just as two soldiers rushed forward, grabbing Merlin's arms, kneeing him in the back of his thighs and pressing his head forward so he was bowed towards the ground. Arthur took a step towards him, ready to pull them off when his father spoke behind him.

"Take him to the pyre. He will be burned slowly. Over a period of three days."

"No! You can't do this!" Arthur rushed forward, towards his father, all thoughts of proper conduct out the window and the need to protect Merlin controlling him.

"Restrain him."

Two soldiers moved to grab Arthur and he felt Merlin hiss behind him. Why doesn't he attack? He yanked at the two soldiers, desperately trying to stand in front of Merlin, to protect him. He knew he was acting insane, protecting a sorcerer when he was the prince of a land free of magic, but he had made up his mind, long before he even stepped foot into Camelot again, "I'm begging you! We will leave Camelot! Never return! I beg of you, just let us go! I relinquish my entitlement to the throne!"

"This is proof enough that he has altered your thinking to his will. He's too dangerous to be kept alive. He will die."

"Sire, he must at least stand trial!" Morgana chimed in.

The guards grabbed Arthur's arm, their chainmail brushing roughly against his skin. He didn't pay attention to it, not even as they forced him to his knees in order to restrain him.

Then the ground shook. A girl, maybe Gwen, screamed off to the side as a chunk of stone fell from the ceiling. A window shattered. The crowd was moving around, trying to get to the door, most screaming and covering their heads as stone fell around them, while others looked around confused. The guard to Arthur's right collapsed suddenly, his face white and lips blue, dead.

Uther was shouting orders, but Arthur couldn't hear them and neither could anyone else. Morgana was clutching her throne, her only stable ground, and had one arm over her head to shield it. Another guard by the door collapsed dead. The door locked shut.

Arthur twisted around to look at the mass of people swarming to get out of the room, barely visible through the dust. There in the center of the room, on his knees, was Merlin. He was staring straight ahead, visibly shaking, his lips in a tight line. But his eyes….his eyes were pure golden, shining straight through the dust.. There was no separation between pupil, iris, or the white of his eye. It was simply all golden and appeared to be literally glowing, as almost smoke-like wisps of gold curled into the air from the corner of his eye.

Arthur wanted to scream to him, ask him what he was doing, that he wasn't helping his case and he was an idiot, but then he remembered.

I was sleeping when they came and grabbed me and my mother. They blindfolded us and gagged us and carried us into the woods. My mother had been knocked out. When she came to, she started screaming at them to let me go, not to hurt me and one of the guys hit her. I remember hearing it and being so angry and just thinking, "don't touch my mother." And then it was silent and when my mother took my blindfold off, they were all dead. I had burnt them to a crisp. I was terrified. I hadn't meant to.

Merlin wasn't meaning to do this. That had to be it. Merlin was just upset one of the guards had touched Arthur, he had lost control, his anger had fueled his magic.

The other guard had long let go of Arthur's arm, so Arthur crawled forward, amongst the crumbling stone. People were screaming around them, dust swirling into the air.

Arthur was terrified. Of Merlin, of what he could do, of the way his golden eyes were literally leaking gold smoke. Nevertheless, he reached up, touching Merlin's neck, "Merlin. It' me."

Merlin's face snapped towards his. There was no pupil, so he couldn't tell if Merlin was seeing him, but he kept talking, "I'm okay. They didn't hurt me. You have to stop this. You have to stop," Merlin's eyes remained unblinking, "Those guards they're innocent. They were just following orders. Please stop, for me. I'm right here."

Slowly, the golden smoke disappeared from around his eyes and Merlin's pupil started to return, as did the white in his eyes, "A-Arthur."

"I'm okay. I'm okay. You have to control it."

The stone stopped crumbling from the ceiling, the dust cleared, the door unlocked. Merlin stared at him with a terrified expression, a man afraid of his own power, and he choked out, "I'm s-sorry. I don't…I couldn't. I'm sorry."

"It's oka-"

Uther was screaming behind him, "Get away from him, Arthur," and a guard knelt down and grabbed him, gently this time, to pull him away from Merlin. Another guard immediately grabbed Merlin and tugged him upwards until he was standing.

Uther passed Arthur, who was still restrained by a guard and came to stand less than a hair's width away from Merlin, nearly spitting on his face, "Consider this your trial. While you do not deserve sympathy, I will make your death quicker than originally planned. You will be executed publicly, by means of fire, in front of the eyes of both citizens and neighboring kings. Your execution will be made an example for all of the five kingdoms. That is my final decision," he turned to make eye contact with the guard over Merlin's shoulder, "I want him restrained and blindfolded in the dungeon. Put him under full watch, no food or water," Uther turned and faced the room, "I will send a letter to our allies and ask them to travel here immediately, where they will be able to witness the end of Emrys and his reign. You are all welcome to watch. In a few days, we will be rid of magic forever," lastly, he turned to Arthur and the guard with him, "escort my son to his rooms. He will only leave his room on the day of Emrys' execution."

Uther turned, every bit of the cold hearted man he was believed to be, and left the room. Merlin was yanked backwards, forced from the room, while Arthur leaned boneless against the guard, his eyes never leaving Merlin's.

I'm sorry.

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