Arthur had ended up offering to scrub the carpet, but Merlin had just whispered something and the mess disappeared. Arthur had stared into his can.
"You didn't put it back in there, did you?"
Arthur hadn't been surprised when Gaius had removed the drink from him, and they had moved out of the room and into what looked like a conference room on the upper level. Morgana and Merlin disappeared off and came back with trays of coffee and biscuits. It was like one endless conference as far as Arthur could see. Still if there was food on offer he wasn't going to complain.
Instead he kept his mouth shut and made an effort to control the facetious comments. He was getting some information, as unreal as it sounded. Yet he couldn't help feeling that it was stirring something in his mind. Not that he wanted to admit that to anyone.
He looked around, watching all the other people in the room. They were talking amongst themselves, Gaius to Uther, who seemed locked in a very intense conversation, and Merlin and Morgana seemed to be doing the same as they set up the drinks and snacks. Gwaine wasn't contributing to the conversation but he lingered by Merlin, one hand brushing up and down Merlin's arm, trying to distract him. The last pair, Lancelot and Leon were discussing something, their conversation occurring out in the corridor.
Arthur guessed he could have joined any of them but he didn't feel quite right. They all knew each other, had something in common. Arthur had only known them a very short amount of time, and everything was so strange, but oddly comforting. At least he remained very sure of the fact that no one had any real intention of hurting him. True he had been handcuffed, drugged, and dragged off to this bloody weird house, but half of the injuries had been accidental or caused by himself in some way.
He was still trying to process the idea he was some sort of king. How on Earth had they come to that conclusion? No wonder his mother had run off with him, hiding herself from them. What he really didn't understand was why she had left him alone, when she knew he had a father who would have taken him in. She had fought the encroaching cancer, Arthur had seen that, taking any treatment she could to prolong her life. He had watched her change, hardly understanding it, even when Igraine herself, and then the nurses, had carefully explained it to him.
It had caught up with him one day. His mother had always looked beautiful, at least to him. He remembered her as tall and slender, a wealth of blonde hair cascading past her shoulders. Every time he looked in the mirror he knew where his colouring and his facial structure had come from. He couldn't ever forget her because of it, it helped him remember, after that shocking day. The day he realised his mother really was going to die.
One of the nurses had taken him for an ice cream. It was a hot summer's day. Igraine was having another round of treatments in the little hospital they went to. He had taken the nurses' hand and went out with her to get an ice cream from the van outside. The nurse had heard it coming and flagged the man down. He had naturally stopped, used to the nurses doing so, when they had children with parents having treatment, or waiting to have treatment themselves. Quite often he didn't charge them, seeing it as his good deed.
Arthur had goggled at the ice cream, they couldn't often afford treats often, and had trotted back up to see his mother, happily munching on the cornet. Then he had paused in shock, in the doorway to the room, sunlight was streaming in, providing a backdrop to the scene. The first thing he noticed was his mother's hair didn't glow in the sunlight as he thought it should. There was no hair to glow; and that seemed to highlight the stark bones on her face. Arthur had suddenly, at that moment, wondered where his mother had gone.
He could see her, he knew Igraine was there but the reality of the situation hit him then. She had turned and smiled at him, her eyes realising what he was seeing, even though she tried to smile at him.
"Are you enjoying your ice cream, sweetheart?"
The moment she asked that was the moment he knew she was going to die. And it hadn't been long after that when she did.
Arthur had broken that day. He knew he had to carry on, Igraine had made him promise to such an affect, and he had been content enough in the children's home. The people who had run it had looked after him well enough, they were kind, and caring to him, knowing he had just lost his mother and to their credit they never made any illusions to being anything more than the people paid to look after him.
There had been no one to really care about him, and how he felt. Arthur wasn't sure he could list anyone he knew, anyone he had ever met, as a friend, one that would concern themselves about him, unconditionally and unselfishly.
Arthur didn't think it was any different now. Even after meeting his father after all these years, knowing he had tried to look for him, Arthur got the feeling that it wasn't because he wanted to find him, because he was his son. It was because he needed to fulfil whatever purpose they wanted of him.
"Shall we get started?" Uther asked.
It jerked Arthur out of his shock. He realised Leon and Lancelot had come into the room. Morgana, Gwaine and Merlin were taking seats. Arthur had been lost to the memory, and he looked around now, feeling so separated from these people when that shouldn't have been the case. He turned his head to look at Uther, who stared back almost impassively. Arthur felt a surge of hatred.
What had this man really done, to the point that his mother wouldn't turn to him. Even when she was dying. By the look of it Uther could have certainly afforded treatment for her, rather that Igraine relying on the National Health Service.
Everyone watched with varying degrees of shock and interest at the venomous look that flitted across Arthur's face as he stared at Uther. And for a moment Arthur didn't move, his eyes stayed fixed on his father, lost to whatever he was thinking, and whatever that was, it didn't appear to be very good.
Merlin broke the impasse by noisily getting up, scraping his chair across the floor and looking around with innocent eyes.
"Who wants coffee?"
Uther's eyes moved to Merlin and he shook his head, everyone mumbled a refusal, all except Arthur.
"I do," he said, stalking to the back of the room, fiddling with the coffee and mugs. Merlin joined him, leaning in towards him to whisper.
"Are you all right?"
"Fine," Arthur said in a flat tone that warned Merlin not to ask anything further. Merlin took the hint and just made himself a coffee and headed back. Arthur stayed where he was, messing around longer than necessary. Uther watched him for a moment.
"Why don't we just start, Uther? Arthur can hear from over there," Gaius said, before turning his attention to the boy in question. "Arthur, what do you know about Camelot and the legend of King Arthur?"
Arthur paused what he was doing, looking at Gaius, frowning with confusion.
"Nothing, never heard of it. Should I have?"
"Do you think you should have?" Merlin asked him. Arthur's frown deepened.
"Well, I do now, since you seem to think I should, but," Arthur paused and thought about it harder. "It sounds familiar, I never paid much attention in history though." Or in any subject for that matter, Arthur thought to himself.
"It doesn't get taught in history," Gaius told him. "And very few people recall the legend, when the magic was pushed from this realm knowledge of the legend went with it. Even people that knew it, no longer seemed to recall it."
"You lot do," Arthur stated.
"And it doesn't bode well if the man himself can't remember his own legend," Gwaine said.
"Wasn't there something about him having knights, and a table?" Arthur suddenly asked. "Why was there a table, what the hell has a table got to do with anything?"
"It's significant to the story," Merlin said.
"That happened quickly," Morgana said. "Could he have been under some sort of enchantment? It would be in many people's interest for him to not remember what he needs to know."
"Merlin?" Uther asked. He eyed Arthur with concern. Merlin did the same, biting on his lip as he thought.
"I wouldn't have thought so, his unconscious mind might have been triggering the memories but until Gaius actually mentioned it directly, it hasn't manifested as a conscious thought."
"Plus, I doubt anyone against us would bother with an enchantment, wouldn't they just kill him while he's vulnerable?" Leon asked.
"That's reassuring," Arthur said.
"I think we can safely suggest that one attempt has already been made," Uther said. "And if we had the time to spend dissecting Arthur's life we will probably find others."
"That's really reassuring," Arthur said.
"No it's not," Uther snapped. "You don't even walk around this house unescorted. If the serkets were an attack then they know we have Arthur, and the fact we do will move everything on a pace."
"Could Igraine have suppressed the memories?" Merlin asked, hunching a little as both Uther and Arthur glared at him.
"I just wondered if that was possible."
"Igraine didn't have magic," Gaius said gently, but with a tone that ended that discussion. Clearly neither of the Pendragons wanted to talk about her. Merlin shut up.
"Various sources have been found, with information pertaining to the legend," Gaius carried on, diverting the conversation back to the main topic.
"Where I was evil apparently," Morgana said.
"Evil people are always snappy dressers," Gwaine informed her. Morgana smirked.
"I don't think your part was technically 'evil'," Gaius said. "Magic requires balance, the entire world does, otherwise the natural order could be damaged beyond repair. You kept that balance against Merlin's magic."
Morgana shrugged.
"Now we have a danger, with the magic leaking through, that the balance will tip too far the other way. It's not something we want if the natural order is to remain, but there are other forces in play, which we are all connected to," Gaius carried on talking.
"But back to the sources, the Pendragon family have been gathering information, and waiting for the moment the balance is restored, which we presume is now. All the signs pointed to Arthur's rebirth, which occurred."
"So the legend of him sleeping in a cave isn't entirely accurate," Leon said.
"You can interpret it as such, but no, however Arthur was born in the area that legend had King Arthur sleeping in the cave, in Cadbury Castle. If you want to be a little analytical then maybe you can interpret it as the legend coming to pass. Arthur was born on Christmas Eve, which is when the king and his knights are reported to ride out." Morgana said.
Arthur fiddled about making coffee while he listened to the conversation. They were making it all sound so normal.
"So, what? I'm reincarnated then?" Arthur asked cynically.
"Not exactly, but each person does hold the character traits of the people they used to be. Each family line has been holding onto to the knowledge they have, consciously or unconsciously, to bring everyone into place," Gaius said.
"It should have all focused on you, however, you were hidden away so neither side could make a move until you were located," Uther said. Arthur blinked.
"You're aware you sound nuts right?" Arthur asked.
"Quite possibly," Uther said, with a slight smile, which was the first friendly gesture he had given Arthur since they met. It didn't fill Arthur with any particular feeling, the man was still a stranger, and yet there was so much between them.
"We are missing some pieces of information, Arthur we know about, Merlin naturally, when the family names started appearing together then it was becoming obvious," Gaius said.
"Family names?" Arthur asked.
"Names that are passed on through the generations, Merlin is one, Arthur another, each one of us carries the relevant name of the person they represent," Gaius said. "They don't appear each generation, but the last few have carried the names in the relevant order."
"Oh," Arthur said.
"Even your mother," Gaius said, rather quickly, and then he diverted the subject swiftly. "There is someone else who has information on this. We know of him but have never really been able to locate him. Anytime something relevant might have turned up, he was there if we didn't get there first. We've never been able to really track him, but we have picked up traces of him," Gaius said. He pulled a picture out of a file and held it up, it was a clear shot of them man in question.
"Shit!" Arthur yelped as coffee went everywhere, particularly down his jeans. There were some napkins on the side and Arthur grabbed a handful to dab at the mess, wincing as the hot water soaked through to his skin. The sensible thing was to drop his pants, which was what Gaius ordered him to do, but Arthur wasn't about to do that. Merlin whispered something and Arthur looked up in time to see his eyes flash gold. Arthur felt a tingling sensation against his skin and the damp patch on his jeans suddenly cooled.
"It's not burning now, it should be cool enough to calm the skin," Merlin said.
"Thank you, Merlin," Gaius said. He was going round to see to Arthur, but Arthur paid no heed, instead he moved to the table and pulled the photo closer. His reaction hadn't been unwarranted.
"I think we need to keep you away from the refreshments during these things," Gwaine commented, and got no response.
"Arthur?" Merlin asked.
"He's my every other Wednesday," Arthur announced.
"Your what?" Uther demanded.
"My every other Wednesday," Arthur repeated and then looked up at Uther, before putting it in simpler terms. "He's a punter."
"What?" Morgana said, she flipped open her laptop and started to type.
"The one you mentioned, who had the car?" Leon asked, the memory of Arthur's chatter when he had picked him up ran back to him in a rush.
"Yeah, picks me up every other Wednesday. It's my almost night off, I'm with him all night, and he drops me off in the morning. Well, the driver does."
"He has had sex with you," Uther asked, his voice low.
"That's what punters generally do," Arthur said, wincing inwardly as Uther's jaw tensed. "Not every time but most of them."
"How long had that been happening?" Leon asked.
"Years, it came through Aled, my first pimp, not long after I…" Arthur paused. It hadn't been long after he realised he wasn't getting away, that he was trapped, and the Wednesday nights were easy. The man had been old, almost kind, and however demanding the sex had sometimes been, it had never really been rough, or frightening. Now it seemed to be turning into something else all together.
"We need to find him," Morgana said. "I can't get any address."
"It's about an hours drive from the lane, he used to pick me up at a point just outside one of the clubs," Arthur said.
"You've been to his house?" Uther demanded. Arthur nodded.
"Not all the time, and not at the beginning."
"Where did he take you at the beginning?" Morgana asked, as Uther glared at her she looked back impassively. "It's the place to start."
Arthur slowly sat in the nearby seat, the mild sting on his leg forgotten as he faced the people in front of him, all of them openly curious, with mild horror filtering into their eyes.
"Hotel at first, not the rubbish one the pimps use, and he never minded if I ordered room service, lots of it," Arthur said, remembering stuffing his face on those nights. "Then after a while he started taking me to his house sometimes. I knew if we went through a drive-thru that was where we were going."
"How did he get you into the hotel?" Gwaine asked. "No offence, but you look like what you are."
"The first time I got fresh clothes. Aled bought them for me, then there was always something, I'd change in the car and he'd take me wherever he wanted me to go. I even went to an art exhibition once," Arthur mused. "And the opera."
"Very 'Pretty Woman'," Gwaine commented. Merlin smacked his arm and then winced, flexing his hand.
"Not really," Arthur said. "He got his money's worth."
"How much was that, for all night?"
"Two hundred quid."
Arthur watched them all look at each other, as if trying to work out, in the basic scheme of things, if that was a lot for a rent boy. It wasn't really, Arthur knew it.
"Trust me, it's not a lot, but there is always someone who will do it cheaper, you don't want to price yourself out of the market."
"So you know where he lives," Morgana said.
"I can't recite the address, but I know the way to go, take the motorway eastbound, it's four junctions, third exit, carry on down the road, over a couple of roundabouts, and it's not far from there."
"What's the house like?"
"Big," Arthur said. "And it's really quiet, I don't think he's got any close neighbours."
"There are a few houses like that in that area," Morgana said, typing away and staring at the screen.
"Take me there, I can find it," Arthur told her.
"No! You do not go anywhere," Uther snapped.
"You can't start wrapping him up in cotton wool," Morgana said. "If Arthur can get us there, then we have to let him. We need to find this guy."
"And what if he's been feeding information to others."
"It's certainly not to anyone who wants Arthur dead," Gwaine pointed out. "Otherwise, he would be."
"Why did Aled send you?" Merlin asked. "You in particular."
"Dunno, he just did. I think I was just what the guy wanted, physically at least."
Merlin pondered that, while Arthur tried not to feel sick.
Several hours later, Arthur didn't just feel it. He was sick.