Very few things caught Uther Pendragon off guard. Merlin took it as a compliment that he was able to draw such a slack-jawed reaction from the man. "Hello Father, it certainly has been a long time". He smiled as Uther got a hold of himself.
"Merlin" he whispered before he walked straight towards the young man and pulled him into a strong one-armed embrace. Merlin held on until Uther let go. "When did you return?" asked the king as he pulled back to get a better look at his second son. He's grown into a man thought Uther as he took in the mature features of the prince's face.
"A few hours ago, I wanted to spend time with everyone and relax a bit before things got too formal. How are you, Sire"? Merlin inquired humbly, purposely using his father's title as a reminder to the older man of his loyalty to the kingdom and crown despite his long absence.
Uther smiled as he replied to his son "I am very well, thank you and I have missed you greatly. The palace has not been the same since your departure". Uther's voice wistful, his hand resting on Merlin's shoulder, he gripped it firmly once before letting go. "I will have something brought over for us to eat as we speak. Sit." His father ordered as he gestured to the dining table. Merlin sat at the chair, right to the head of the table as Uther ordered one of the passing guards to send a message to the kitchens.
The King then sat at the table facing his son "You must tell me about your years away."
"Nothing to tell, lots of monks and lots of studying" Merlin was definitely not going to tell Uther that his stay at the Monastery was rather short and most of his time was instead spent traveling through the kingdoms of Albion; learning about the land and its people. Gathering knowledge and allies, preparing for the time it would be united under a single rule. "I see Camelot hasn't changed much over the years" he deflects. They were interrupted by a knock at the door. A servant brought in two plates and a dish filled with fruit, meat, and cheese. He set it on the table and served the royals before stepping back and bowing
"Is there anything further you require my Lord"?
"Yes, take a message down to the kitchens and to the one overseeing the preparations for this evening's feast. Tell them that prince Merlin has returned and that adjustments must be made for his inclusion at the event".
"It shall be done, Sire" the servant replied as he bowed out. "Your arrival is serendipitous to fall on the twentieth anniversary of the commencement of the great purge".
Merlin smiled at the twist of fate. It was ironic, Camelot celebrating the eradication of Magic while a living breathing incarnation of it was being welcomed back through its gates with open arms.
Magic is a part of the very fabric of the Earth; Emrys, it can never be eradicated, it was born with the earth and it will die with it. Iseldier's words resonate within his mind. Uther, however, misinterpreted Merlin's smile as an agreement with his own sentiments regarding sorcery. Good, let him believe that he has won. "So, have you met your brother yet"? Uther's voice breaks through Merlin's internal musings.
"In a manner of speaking, it was not a pleasant reunion". Taken by surprise with this Uther inquired further and the young prince relayed what happened at the training field before he made his presence known to the king. Uther was shocked by what his youngest was telling him, for though he knew his sons occasionally argued when they were younger, their disagreements had never escalated to such a degree and over the treatment of a servant, no less! Granted, Arthur's arrogance had grown over the past few years, as he proved himself more on the battlefield, he still did not approve of the younger prince's actions against his brother.
"You humiliated your brother before servants and knights. I must demand you make a formal apology to him at once!" Ahh, so that's the reason Arthur's head is as big as his waist, Father seems to keep feeding his ego under the guise of birth privilege. This stops now!
"With all due respect sire, Arthur is not the king, you are. You earned the respect of these people when you protected Camelot through combat and responsibly executed the propagation of peace within her borders. Thus, people respect and accept you as their rightful king. Arthur has no such achievements to show, other than being born your son, there is no reason for the people to respect him and if he keeps flaunting that privilege, he, as well as the knights of Camelot, will lose respect among the people. In the future, this could lead to civil unrest and eventually a weakened Camelot! She will be vulnerable to attack as her own people question their loyalty to the crown. Many rebellions and conquests have been successful because a usurper has managed to gather the support of the people within the conquered land. Caerleon's own history stands testament to this, with its previous king being overthrown by spies from within". He paused to gauge the effect of his words, once he knew he had Uther's full attention, he went for the close. "If Camelot needs to survive past your reign it requires a King the people respect, admire and are ready to die for. No one will follow a sniveling child whose own hedonism outweighs the needs of his people and the protection of his lands".
As he finished speaking he held the king's gaze for a short while before turning to take a sip from his wine goblet and then sample the food laid out before him, pointedly ignoring his father until he chose to respond. Uther looked at his young son as he ate, what Merlin said was very valid, his own experience, though he refused to admit it to anyone, even himself, showed how arrogance brought downfall. He made up his mind to take immediate steps to rectify his older son's behavior. But how? His eyes widened as he realized the solution to his problem sat right in front of him.
Merlin had always had the ability to make people do what he wanted, just a suggestion here, a push there to manipulate circumstances according to his own design. He never used the ability for malicious purposes, of course, Ygraine's kind heart beating within his chest would never allow it, but it was uncanny how he could have servants, knights, and even lords bend to his will. It seems his time away has only honed this ability further and if the description of the brothers' previous confrontation was any indication, he now seems capable of holding his own against a seasoned knight of Camelot. His kingdom has gained a powerful ally in the form of his younger son and God save anyone who tries to harm her while Merlin Pendragon resides within her walls because the one thing he can be absolutely certain of is the prince's unwavering loyalty to Camelot and her people. He still recalled when a fever plagued the citadel around the child's fourteenth summer. How his son obsessively dedicated all his time assisting Gaius with the ailing; neither eating nor resting until forced too. It was due to such actions he became known as the people's prince; a title Arthur had yet to gain.
Suddenly a vision appeared before Uther's mind's eye. Arthur, a great king, and Merlin by his side, supporting him as he negotiated treaties and navigated court politics. Merlin, Arthur's confidant, guide, and spy; staying in the shadows yet making sure, through any means necessary, that Camelot and her King always won.
Every good king requires wise counsel but a great one requires something more. He requires an intelligent and ruthless tactician completely loyal to the crown. Something during Merlin's speech told Uther that his youngest had the potential to fulfill this role, however, it would all be for naught if Arthur failed to earn Merlin's absolute trust and loyalty for himself. As proven before, the young prince would go to any lengths for a cause he truly believed in. Merlin also had all the makings of a great king in his own right, if Arthur proved unworthy in Merlin's eyes to rule his people, Uther knew, his son would not hesitate to challenge his brother for the throne. Either way, Camelot would have a strong leader and protector. While this alternative did give Uther's mind some measure of peace he, hoped that such a circumstance would never come to pass as he wished no future strife between the brothers.