A Marriage that Started a Legend

by IJustShowedUp

Follows canon but with my own arranged marriage spin on it. What happens when Hunith makes a mistake and is forced on the run with her infant son? What happens when Camelot knights find her twenty years later? What happens when Arthur learns he's betrothed to a peasant boy? Will Merlin be able to stand among royalty? Will these two different boys survive each other? Review!

34. Chapter 34

Deep in the bowels of Camelot, Valiant walked with sure and steady steps down the dim hallway. He'd been the only knight to not return to his room, ducking out of sight at the first opportunity that he could.

But he also wasn't alone either.

Valiant walked deeper and deeper into the castle, down long forgotten hallways that nobody bothered to enter anymore, because there was nothing down here.

He made no indication that he had any idea that he was being followed. He didn't glance over his shoulder when he heard the subtle creek of footsteps coming from behind him. Nor did he flinch when he'd saw the briefest hint of a human shaped shadow that wasn't his own, before it would vanish back into the darkness as if it had never been there.

Valiant hadn't even bothered to stop by his room and grab his sword to defend himself if he had to.

He knew exactly who was following him, and he knew that the man didn't have the guts to actually try anything. Even after what Valiant had done all those years ago.

This upcoming conversation had been a long time coming, and it had only been a matter of time before they had met again. That was why Valiant was down here now, subtly leading the other man further and further into the castle, where nobody would be able to hear the other man's scream if it came down to it.

Valiant knew that he'd be able to kill the man with just his bare hands, if thing's didn't go his way. As if the other man was nothing more than a pig meant for slaughter

It was another several minutes of walking before Valiant came to an ultimate dead end, the hallway cutting off abruptly as he turned onto it. But he didn't stop walking, he kept moving forward until he reached the end of the hall.

And then, with nowhere else to go, Valiant leaned against the wall and casually crossed his arms over his chest. All there was to do now was wait, wait until the other man trailing behind to finally catch up.

X

Merlin had his fingertips just brushing along the wall beside him as he followed after Uther, going up a long flight of stairs. Merlin glanced around cautiously, seeing the flickering shadows cast on the walls from the torchlight.

The late hour seemed to make everything more heightened around him, it made Merlin more focused. For one thing, it was eerily quiet, the only sounds to be heard was the noise their boots made with their every step. And Merlin could feel the hair on his arms standing on end, bringing with it a hint of cautious danger.

Merlin had no idea where the king was taking him, and Uther hadn't given him into indication that what was happening would end on a good note for Merlin.

Maybe the king had tired of him, and Merlin's performance during the meet-and-greet, had been what Uther needed to solidify his decision. Maybe the king was taking him somewhere, with every intention of getting rid of him.

For all Merlin knew, this afternoon had been the last glimpse of sunlight that he would ever see.

X

Valiant didn't move from his slouched over position against the wall, even as his eye's followed the very subtle shift in the shadow's on the wall. The shift had barely been perceptible to the eye, and it could have gone unnoticed very easily, especially if Valiant had been any other man.

But he'd been ready, and the muscles in his biceps coiled up as if he was preparing himself to strike. But just as soon as he did, Valiant's muscles eased up in an instant.

This wouldn't end in a fight, of that, he was confident.

X

Merlin nearly stumbled when he reached the top stair, unable to really see where he was going. It was much darker up here, with no torch lights this far up to guide the way. If anything, that sudden realization made Merlin's anxiety spike.

Would this be the moment that the king shoved him down the stairs? If Merlin broke his neck at the bottom, it would be so easy to claim that it had been nothing more than an unfortunate accident.

Merlin eased himself away from the top step, casting a nervous look over his shoulder at them. It would have been such a believable lie, how many times had Merlin stumbled over his own feet in front of everybody?

His own wedding?

When he'd met Gaius?

Had he done it when he'd walked into the Grand Hall just hours before? Merlin wouldn't have been able to remember if his life depended on it.

Which it just might.

X

Valiant smirked, just a hint of how much sadistic amusement he was getting out of this situation. And his amusement only grew when the other man finally stepped into the hallway, lookin solemn.

"So, you've finally stopped hiding in the shadows?" Valiant drew out, doing absolutely nothing to hide how much pleasure this was going to bring him. It had been over a decade since Valiant had last seen this knight, and he'd pictured a thousand times what a confrontation between them would entailed.

"I have never hid from you," a voice said in a solemn tone, the man's body half hidden in the shadows of the wall. "And I don't plan on starting now."

Valiant practically relished in the agony leaking out of every word the man had spoken.

X

Merlin wondered if he could make a break for it, or if Uther had guards hidden somewhere, ready to catch him if he dared to try escaping.

Uther had just walked through a large doorway at the end of the hall, not even looking back to see if Merlin was going to follow him.

Merlin glanced over his shoulder, knowing that the stairs were somewhere behind him. But they were also shrouded in shadows, and Merlin was more than likely to break his own neck trying to find them.

And maybe he had a death wish, or maybe his curiosity would lead him to his own death someday. But Merlin knew that he couldn't leave, not after all of the mystery and questions that the king had left him with.

The main one being, why were they up here?

Merlin didn't know how to help Arthur, or what kind of secrets he was keeping from him. But it seemed like the blonde's father didn't seem to have that same problem with opening up, or maybe it was just Merlin trying to fit in a rational excuse as to why he was still following the king.

Merlin approached the door, reaching out to curl his hand around the doorframe. He hesitated for another minute, glancing over his shoulder at what was probably his last chance to escape.

And then with a deep breath to steel his nerves, Merlin followed after the king, the large door slamming shut behind him loud enough to echo.

X

"You never hide?" Valiant asked, sounding as if he was mocking the other knight. "Are you sure about that?" He raised a sardonic eyebrow. "If that was true, then you would have approached me earlier. Instead of waiting to jump me from the shadows..." he stopped just long enough to smirk. "In fact, you're still hiding in the shadows."

That seemed to strike a nerve in the knight, because only then did he step away from the wall.

"Valiant," Sir Ewan said, his eye's following Valiant's every move as if waiting for the younger knight to strike him down where he stood. "It's been a long time, more than ten years in fact."

Valiant though, made no move to come after the knight who knew his sordid past. He even appeared to lean further into the wall behind him, looking as if he truly thought that Ewan wasn't a threat to him. "It has indeed," Valiant stopped so that he could grin, as if he was greeting an old friend instead of somebody that would want him killed at the first opportunity. "...Big brother."

X

Merlin paled a little when he realized where the door had lead him to. It wasn't some kind of torture dungeon, like he'd almost feared they were going. And it also wasn't a random room in one of the many towers that stretched out of the castle, where Uther could have him locked up.

They had just came out on a balcony.

It was a large balcony, and could have easily held ten people without any of them touching. There was a thick and white stone railing surrounded the edges, stopping people from getting to close to the edge.

It was also the same balcony that Merlin had first saw the king. Was it really only a few weeks ago that Merlin had first witnessed the kind of man that his father-in-law (to be at that point) was? Because with the memory of the king standing on this balcony, also came the memory of the king ordering an execution.

On the man who had magic like Merlin did, on Thomas.

"Come, Merlin. It's unbecoming to dawdle in the entryway." Uther called out to him, and Merlin nearly flinched, because this was the first time the king had spoken to him since they left the Grand Hall.

"Yes, sire." Merlin said quietly, feeling as if his throat was closing in on him. The king was standing with his back to Merlin, his arms tucked behind his back. It somehow didn't look at all like when Merlin had done it earlier, leaving him resembling more like a servant than a consort.

But the king had an air of regality around him that Merlin would never be able to emulate.

Merlin carefully walked across the platform-almost as if he thought the balcony would just cave in underneath him-until he reached the king's side. He had to grab onto the railing, trying to keep himself steady now that he was so close to the edge.

Was this the moment that the king was going to throw him over the balcony? Was Uther unable to get over the shame of having a male commoner within the sanctuary of his family? Had the king concocted this plan, to lure him out here, straight to his death?

"Are you scared of heights?"

Merlin startled, his head whipping around in surprise. He hadn't been expecting the king to actually say anything to him, he'd been waiting for the king's attempt at shoving him over the railing.

He also hadn't been expecting to find that the king was already watching him.

"Uh, no, not of heights." Merlin admitted, feeling the fingers on his hand clamping around the rail. Involuntarily, his eye's were drawn down into the courtyard, where Thomas had been executed.

The platform that they had dragged him onto, making a spectacle of his death, had long since been dismembered and was no longer there. But that still didn't stop Merlin from being able to picture it, looking exactly as it did in his memory as it did in real life.

It wasn't a memory that he'd ever be able to forget.

"Ah," Uther said, having followed his gaze to where the execution's platform was always set up. "So, you saw when that sorcerer was punished for his crimes against our kingdom."

Merlin dragged his eye's away from the courtyard, to look at Uther who was now looking out at his kingdom. He wouldn't have been able to tell how the king had known where his thoughts had gone, or how he had guessed what the problem was.

But it was out there, in the open.

Merlin looked away from the king and back out to the courtyard, "I guess I just wasn't expecting for the first thing I would see would be an execution."

But maybe in a way, it had been a good thing that Merlin had witnessed it. If only so he could be warned, so that he wouldn't make the same mistake that Thomas had made by being so careless with his magic.

He'd almost forgotten that, having relaxed-more than he wanted to admit-since his wedding night.

"I can admit," the king said, actually sounding more tired that Merlin had thought he would show before a humble peasant. "That an execution was not the best way to be introduced to our kingdom." This time, Merlin could recognize that while the king sounded tired, it was more of a weary kind of tired. As if life had taken it's toil on him.

Merlin felt his finger's twitching around the railing, "I don't think an execution is the best way for anything." He said, his voice practically being lost in the wind. "All it did was cause a speculation of that man's death."

"Which is just what was needed." Uther countered back just as easily. "The people need to know about the dangers that magic poses to us."

Merlin still found himself flinching at that, his hand tightening around the railing so hard that the rough stone cut into the palm of his hand.

Uther was watching him now, an almost suspicious look gleaming in his eye's. "Is there a reason?" The king asked. "That you are showing so much concern for a man that you have never met?"

Merlin went stiff, refusing to move his eye's away from where he was staring at his hand, pale and stark against the whiter stones of the railing. He knew that anything he said now, would be analyzed and dissected by the king. Anything he said now, would either have the king's suspicions ease, or have him arrested for treason.

Merlin had to take a breath, but it didn't help matter's much since he still felt as if his throat was closing up on him. Still, he forced himself to raise his head so that he could meet eye's with the steely eye's of the king.

"It's not that I care about him in particularly," Merlin said slowly, feeling as if he had ash on his tongue. "I just wish that something so tragic hadn't happened."

There were many thing's that he could have wished for Thomas. He could wish that the man had never been caught, or he could wish that Thomas had never discovered his magic. Or maybe he could just wish that they lived in a world where people didn't have to fear that they way they were born would eventually cause their death's.

But why waste his time with petty wishing? It wasn't like him wishing would do anything to help Thomas or what had happened to his family afterwards.

The suspicious gleam in Uther's eyes seemed to absolve itself at his words, and the king nodded solemnly. If Merlin didn't know any better, he would have even sworn that the king seemed sad about this.

"Yes," Uther said, voice quiet. "I do try my best to protect this kingdom, but not even I can control everybody. Magic is like an addiction, an unstoppable force that will destroy everything it's it's path. And once somebody has had a taste, well...death is the only way to stop them." Merlin watched, vaguely nauseated when he saw the king's hand curling into a fist on top of the railing. "I can only hope that these executions stop the many, warning them away from the danger that magic brings."

Merlin swirled his head around when he saw the king was turning back to look at him. He didn't think he'd be able to stomach meeting the king's eye, not after that. Not after the king had made what sounded, to Merlin, like an excuse to spread hatred and propaganda.

The king started talking again, which was a good thing, because Merlin didn't think he'd be able to say anything at that point. Not unless it was something that would force the king to realize that he was talking to a sorcerer, that he had married his heir off to a sorcerer.

"But I don't believe that you have to worry about that."

Merlin's head whipped around, looking dumbstruck by this remark. It seemed almost outrageous to think that Merlin was getting away with this, did the king really not suspect the secret that Merlin was hiding from pretty much everybody.

Uther seemed vaguely amused by Merlin's expression, and reached out to pat roughly on Merlin's shoulder. Merlin had to stop from curling in on himself, as if he was trying to protect himself from the onslaught that would come if Uther had known the truth.

"No," the king said, pulling away. "I do not believe that you have done anything to earn yourself a spot on the chopping block."

Uther looked up at the sky, seeing the reflection of the moon just peeking out through a gathering of clouds. Maybe everything would have been easier if Merlin possessed his father's spark for magic, then this whole manner could be put to rest with one more execution out of the many he'd already lived through. But the king wasn't so blinded by his hatred of magic, that he would have an innocent boy put to death simply because he'd had the misfortune of having a sorcerer for a father.

If Uther was a lesser man, that would have been enough for him to have Merlin executed.

"Unless of course," Merlin stiffened, when the king continued to talk. "You have something to hide." The king raised an eyebrow at the smaller boy. "Some kind of treason, an act against our kingdom, that you would like to confess to."

Merlin didn't say anything, so stiff that a harsh wind would have been able to blow him over. He waited with baited breath, almost sure that anything he did would give the king a reason to call for the guards to arrest him.

But then the king chuckled.

Merlin's head shot up, looking vaguely horrified by this little sound that the king had made. It took Merlin longer far longer than he wanted to admit for him to realize that the king hadn't been serious. He had been making a joke, albeit, a rather poor one considering his audience.

"Er, no...no acts of treason..." Merlin responded, his forced smile weaker than he wanted it to be. But it was all that he could muster up with the churning in his stomach.

Uther didn't seem to suspect Merlin's lie, because the king turned away from him, looking out over his kingdom. Merlin followed his gaze, not even able to enjoy the beautiful sight of the kingdom spread out before him, all lit up with torches to light the streets for the stray people who had yet to make it home.

Would Uther even bother with a trial if he knew Merlin was one of these 'dangerous sorcerers?' Or would he get rid of him right here and right now. All it would take was one harsh shove, and Merlin would be flipping straight over the rail with no way of catching himself.

Merlin felt his nails start to dig into the stone railing, and he dropped his gaze from the city to his hand. If Merlin didn't look like a servant, as Uther had claimed just before he brought him up here, would he had believed him when he said he wasn't a sorcerer that first time they met? If Merlin wore his emotions on his face, just how long would he be able to keep up the illusion...how long would he be able to claim that he was normal, and not some kind of freak of nature?

After all, nobody else was born instinctively knowing how to use their magic, even if they had an affinity for the art. Most people needed to learn and to study for years before they could even do the smaller things, just like he was trying to do with his spell book.

Only, he didn't need those years of training to make things happen...and if he was caught, Merlin didn't think that the people would care that he was born this way.

All they would see would be a sorcerer, and so he might as well be a murderer in their eye's.

"Tell me, Merlin." Uther started to talk, sounding perfectly calm and reasonable, even when he didn't avert his eye's away from the view of the kingdom. "What do you see?"

Merlin's head shot up, and he whipped around to look at the king. For a heart stopping second where his lung's literally froze in his chest, Merlin could have sworn that the king knew exactly what he had been thinking, that he knew that Merlin was one of the sorcerer's that he was trying to eradicate from his kingdom.

No, Merlin could feel the ice around his lung's start to ease up, the king didn't know. He wasn't accusing Merlin of practicing magic, he wasn't accusing Merlin of being a monster.

He was...Merlin turned away from the king so that he could look back out at the kingdom. He could see the torch lights decorating the streets from way up here. If Merlin wasn't so confused, and worried that the king would realize at any minute exactly what he was, he would have claimed that the torch light's looked like little stars.

Only on the ground, and not in the sky, mostly half-hidden tonight by how cloudy it was.

"It's your kingdom, sire." Merlin said, frowning with confusion. The courtyard was stretched out in front of him. It was the place that held the execution, it was the place where he had first met Arthur. And just beyond it was the large stone wall that held the drawbridge, connecting the castle grounds to the inner city. Somewhere beyond that was the marketplace, and the many huts that housed Camelot's poorer district. He finally turned away from the sight to look back at the king. "It's Camelot City."

Uther nodded in agreement, "You're right," he said simply. "It's Camelot City." As if he thought Merlin knew where he was going with this.

Merlin looked back at the city, his frown deepening because he was absolutely clueless, before turning back to the king. "I'm afraid that I don't understand, sire." Had Uther only brought him up here so that he could see the kingdom? It seemed like kind of a moot point, as Merlin could see a similar view from his bedroom window.

"It's more than just a city," Uther told him, finally deciding to elaborate on why exactly Merlin was here. "My kingdom is young, its only been around for a few generations. But it has the potential to be one of the greatest kingdom's in modern day history."

Merlin let out a wry smirk, "I thought it already was, sire." Even as isolated as Ealdor was, they would still tell stories of just how grand and magnificent Camelot was. But of course, those stories weren't being told by the people who would be prosecuted if they were discovered within the kingdom's boarders.

They weren't being told by people like Merlin.

The king seemed to take this as a compliment, looking almost pleased by Merlin's statement. And Merlin couldn't even be pleased that he had somehow gotten on the king's good side. Not when he knew that Uther saw no problem with killing his own people, just because they were different from the average citizen.

"Why yes, the kingdom is quite an amazing feat all by itself." Uther said, a touch of pride to his voice. "It was founded by my great-grandfather, who was the tribal leader of a small village, back before the five great kingdom's even existed. One day, that village was attacked by someone that was considered a trusted friend to the village, and my ancestor was one of the few people that survived. But with their village desecrated, him and a handful of survivors had no choice but to leave it. He eventually found this land and decided to settle here. With only a handful of people, they started to rebuild their home, this castle in fact. So that it could withstand any attack, even from those who might be able to get inside their walls."

Merlin listened to the impromptu history lesson with a gleam of interest in his eye's. "That's pretty amazing, sire. That he was able to do rebuild after something so horrible happened." Merlin wasn't sure if he would have been able to do the same, if it was Ealdor that was the village that had been destroyed.

"Yes, well, my family has the habit of producing remarkable men, each better than the last that came before." Uther declared, and Merlin raised an eyebrow at him. The king hadn't sounded arrogant when he had said that, he sounded as if he was just stating an everyday fact.

"So, what happened to Arthur?" Merlin said dryly, almost forgetting that he was speaking to a man that could have him executed if he didn't like what Merlin had to say.

Uther appeared to have been startled by this, as if he seriously thought that Merlin would have been singing Arthur's praises. Merlin wasn't sure if the king was mad, or amused by his statement.

But whatever Uther was feeling in regards to Merlin's sarcastic wit, he didn't show it. Inside, out of the blue, he said, "Do you know what the name Pendragon stands for?"

Merlin frowned, giving Uther a cautious eye. He didn't think that the king was one for idle chit chat, so there has to be somewhere that this was going. "No, sire. I don't believe that I do."

He'd never given much thought to where the rich got their last names from. He just figured someone in their family history had picked it out themselves.

Uther didn't seem to surprised by this, it was rare that a commoner was privy to the history of those above them. And maybe he shouldn't even bother. But at the same time, these were the kind of things that anybody in the family would be able to rattle off at any given time. It was a part of their history, and therefore, one of the many thing's that must be taught to their children when they were first started their studies.

It was one of the many things that Merlin would have to learn, if he was going to get by as a Pendragon.

"The name Pendragon, was chosen by my great-grandfather. It was originally just Dragon, but my grandfather decided it needed something more and added the Pen to the beginning. Pen, because it was to describe our family as the one's in charge, isolated as if we were in a pen, because we stand above the rest."

Merlin wasn't sure if Uther understood what being isolated meant. His son certainly didn't, not with the way he seemed to relished in being the center of attention. None of them knew what it was like to be different, and to be feared because of that difference.

Uther continued on with his explanation, "And the dragon part was originally for strength, and power. But over the past generation or two, it has developed into more. It now also stands for speed, and wisdom, and showing yourself to be as fierce as any dragon, in the face of adversary."

Did the king only say that as a way of justifying what he had done in his time as king? Merlin almost wanted to mention that Uther had killed all of the dragon's, except for that one dragon chained beneath the castle. And how hypercritical it was to keep the name 'Dragon' when you were the reason that the rest of them were gone.

But he didn't, because he liked keeping his head on his shoulders.

Merlin glanced away, knowing that he was going to say something stupid if he kept looking at the king. But maybe he should have slapped a hand over his mouth to stop himself from talking, "I don't believe 'being as fierce as a dragon' is always a good thing."

Surely, not every situation could be handled by being 'fierce'.

"It is when your chose is between the kingdom, and a stranger trying to destroy everything about your way of life." Uther said harshly, making Merlin feel properly chastened.

But at the same time, Merlin had an inkling feeling that the 'stranger destroying their way of life' was Uther's reference to himself. But Merlin was just one person, and Uther was acting as if Merlin had the capability of tearing down Camelot's very foundations and starting it anew.

"And as you are a Pendragon man, I expect for you to show the same traits." Uther finished, as if that was that.

Merlin's head whipped back up to look at Uther with rounded eyes. "W-what?" He asked, dumbstruck. "But I can't! I mean..." his eyes flicked all around them, trying to find something that would give him the right thing to say. But nothing his eye's landed on were of any help in the least. Not the column against the wall, or the rail, or even the glass windows on the doors. "Compassion!" He blurted out the first thing he could think of. "Isn't compassion, and things like...like mercy, just as important as being fierce?"

His eye's were practically begging for the king to understand. Merlin wasn't harsh, or capable of doing whatever it was Uther was asking him to. He didn't 'want' to be whatever it was that Uther was trying to force him into becoming.

Merlin was starting to think of being 'fierce' was just another word for cruelty.

But the king was old, and set in his way's, and he wasn't buying anything that Merlin was selling. "Not in this kingdom!" Uther said harshly, making Merlin reel back in surprise by the sudden shift in his tone. "Compassion and mercy are things that will get you killed, things that will get the people in this kingdom killed. They are nothing more than a weakness that we cannot afford to have."

"But surely, showing a spot of kindness is a better alternative to-" Merlin tried to protest, not wanting to bring up the executions again, to drag Uther's attention back to what his real problem with this was.

A question shot throughout his mind: would the king expect him to someday lead these 'executions'. If that was the case, then maybe it was best for Merlin to just count his losses, and try to make a break for it while he still could.

No, that was where he drew the line. He couldn't just sit idly by and say nothing when he knew that the king was wrong. When he knew that being harsh or 'fierce' wasn't always the answer.

"The way my kingdom lives is the only reason that we have thrived as much as we have." Uther interrupted him, not allowing the slimmer boy to have another say. The king turned his back to Merlin, putting his hands behind his back. "Those traits practically define my family's legacy, I don't take them lightly. The traits that you speak of don't have any place in this kingdom. Not now, and not ever."

He spoke as if his word was law, and it might as well had been.

Merlin felt his shoulders slumping, as if the entire weight of the world had just landed on him. Still, he didn't know when to keep his mouth shut, "And do you expect Arthur to show those same traits?"

Merlin didn't know how he felt about Arthur inheriting the trait's that Uther seemed so important. Sure, being strong and having wisdom, he could see those as good traits to have. But fierce? He wasn't so sure if that was a good trait to have. Was that the word that Uther used to make himself feel better as he executed someone just because they had an affinity for magic.

"My son has already shown me that he's more than willing to do what is needed to be done, as long as it's for the good of our people." Uther said, not sparing Merlin a backwards glance.

Merlin found himself reeling back at that, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know what Uther meant by that. He wasn't sure if he wanted what little image he had of Arthur, to be ruined or tainted by whatever it was that Uther seemed so proud of.

"Would you like to know what it is that I see when I look out at my kingdom?" Uther asked, bringing them back around to when the king had started talking to him when they first got out here, and he had asked Merlin what it was that he saw when he looked off the balcony.

Merlin looked at the king's back wearily, not sure if he really wanted to know. Was it going to be something awful? Something that would make Merlin hate that he had to come to Camelot at all to begin with, all over again. But he didn't think that the king was giving much of an option, "Yes, sire."

"I see a place that is full of hard working people." Uther announced, and Merlin straightened up, having not been expecting that one. The king continued to talk, "A place where everybody knows what their position in life is." The king glanced over his shoulder, meeting eye's with Merlin. "Tell me, Merlin, do you know what your place in this kingdom is?"

Merlin straightened up, a cautiously steely look appearing in his eyes, "No, sire. I don't believe I do." He answered honestly. Finally, they seemed to be getting to the point in why he was up here.

Merlin knew that he was only here because of that contract, but he did have questions. Like why the king was trying to force things between him and Arthur. The contract had only deemed that they marry each other before Arthur turned twenty one, which was exactly what they did. But the king acted as if he was trying to force thing's into something more between his son and him. Like when they had first married, and Uther had made Arthur pull out his chair for him. Or even just now, when Uther had shot his son a look and encouraged him to kiss Merlin's ring.

Merlin wasn't sure how he felt about the kiss now, especially if Arthur had only done it to appease his father. He didn't want Arthur to do something only because his father was forcing him to.

Uther turned away from Merlin, looking back out at his kingdom, as if he was it's silent guardian. "Appearances, Merlin, is what determines everything." Merlin felt his eyebrow's creasing together. "If the people think that their prince is unhappy, then how is this kingdom supposed to thrive?"

Merlin swallowed hard, feeling more confused than ever as he said in an uncertain tone, "So, you want me to make Arthur happy?" Was this some kind of talk, where Uther was giving Merlin his blessing's? Or was he trying to give Merlin the 'shovel talk' saying he'd hurt him if Merlin hurt Arthur. It didn't seem like a very Uther thing to do. "You want me to what, get Arthur to fall in love with me?"

The words spilling out of his mouth made him feel numb. He didn't like where this conversation had turned at all. He liked Arthur, he was man enough to admit that he did. But standing here in the cover of darkness, talking with Arthur's father like this, it felt to much as if he was planning something behind Arthur's back. As if he was coming up with some nefarious plan that would end with Arthur feeling something for him.

Merlin wanted something to grow between him and Arthur, but now, he wasn't sure if he'd be able to. Not after having a talk like this with his father.

How was he supposed to get Arthur to like him now? When all he would feel was the guilt of knowing their relationship had been planned out more than just the contract itself had dictated.

"No." Uther suddenly said, harshly, turning dark eye's to look at Merlin. Merlin nearly flinched, surprised by the sudden intensity in the king's eye. The look resembled his son's so much, that it startled Merlin more than anything. But at the same time, there was a surprising amount of hatred in Uther's eye, that he had never seen in Arthur's.

Merlin tried to steel himself, straightening up even when he felt as if Uther had just hit him with how much hatred was in his eye's. "Then I don't understand, what is it that you want from me?" He demanded, with surprising boldness in the face of the irate king.

Uther seemed to calm himself down, and Merlin was almost relieved when that hatred seemed to dissolve. "I said," the king started again. "That appearances are deceiving." And Merlin felt as if his eyebrows were coming back together, creasing in confusion because he clearly wasn't getting it. "My son understand's his responsibilities, it's time that you understand as well. There will be no feeling's between you and my son," he sounded pretty confident about that, and Merlin opened his mouth to ask 'how can you be so sure' but he hadn't been able to say a single syllable before Uther had continued on without pause, "but you do need to give off the impression that you are happily married."

Merlin stiffened, his mind running wild with thoughts and accusations, "So, that's why you made Arthur kiss my ring?" He asked, a page of disappointment filling him. Sure, he already knew that Arthur had done it because Uther insisted, but did the reminder have to hurt so much? That he hadn't done it because he felt an inkling of wanting to. "So that the people aren't disrupted by thinking their prince is unhappy."

That had to be what the king was saying. The phrase 'appearances can be deceiving ' raced through his mind. He hadn't been here very long, but one of the things he'd picked up on was that nobles were 'very' concerned about their public image.

But only among other nobles.

Uther nodded, and for a second, Merlin could have sworn that the king looked more weary than he could ever remember seeing him before. "A kingdom can only thrive when the one in charge thrives." But it sounded as if Uther was quoting somebody, his own father possibly. "I do not care what the relationship between my son and you is behind closed doors, you can absolutely hate each other all that you want."

Merlin lifted his head, daring to look the king in the eye when he said, "And what happens if we love each other instead?" His tone was surprisingly strong, considering he was talking to the one person that probably wanted to see him executed the most.

Something in Uther's face seemed to shift, showing some kind of deep hatred that was somehow even worse than earlier, strong enough that it almost made Merlin step back in alarm. "You can dream all you want, boy. But at most, the only thing happening between you and my son, is coming to an understanding among yourselves over what your new roles will entail."

His son needed to be able to act like a doting husband when he was in the public's eye, and Merlin needed to learn how to go with it instead of questioning everything.

Merlin still had questions though, and even though he knew that it was probably smarter to just stay quiet, when had he ever been quiet? "Tell me, sire, what exactly is our roles."

Uther turned away from Merlin, looking back over at his kingdom, most of it's residents resting because of the late hour. "The only job that you need to concern yourself with, is learning how to act in front of a crowd. My son is a very important man, and his importance will only grow as the time passes. He can't be wasting his time, concerned over you being unable to act as if you belong at his side."

Merlin scoffed, looking down at the balcony under his feet, sounding almost bitter when he said, "So, this is royalty, huh? Everything is nothing more than an act, a public appearance? Just something to make yourselves seem as if you stand above the rest, especially in the eyes of the common folk."

"The people need to have confidence in the ones that rule them." Uther said simply, not looking back at Merlin. "It is only a shame that you need to be informed of this."

Merlin shook his head, daring to argue against the king, "No it's not. The only thing shameful around here is people being forced into unfair situations." He'd been forced here against his will, to marry a prince he'd never met before. He'd stood in front of all of those knight's to greet them, acting as if he actually belonged in front of them. And only now, did he feel sick to his stomach, knowing that he'd practically followed along with Morgana's lead in a show of pretend. And now, now Uther wanted him to continue this charade, to make it even bigger than just Merlin walking around with wearing Arthur's ring on his finger.

When were thing's going to turn around? Was Merlin ever actually going to be happy about his place in life? How was Merlin supposed to find where he belonged, when all he saw now were pretender's and fakes.

Uther didn't seem all that phased about being called out, and Merlin didn't even bother to hide his distaste when the king turned around to face him. Nor did he move when the king strode across the large balcony to stand in front of him. But it did take all of his will power not to flinch when the king raised a hand. But all Uther did was pat him on the shoulder. Once, twice, and then a third time for good measure.

"I'm sure that you don't understand me, or my decisions." The king said, actually looking solemn instead of full of hatred. "And I'm sure that you have your own thoughts about the situation you've found yourself in."

"I do." Merlin agreed, but his mind was also strangely blank at the moment. Now that he was the one being called out, it was as if every question or protest he had just fled his mind. What exactly could he say to someone like the king? To make him see that Merlin and Arthur didn't have to pretend as if they loved each other.

That they could make things work, that they could find some kind of balance between being themselves and being whatever it was that the kingdom needed.

But apparently, Uther wasn't actually asking for him to elaborate on the thoughts he had about their unique situation. The king finally pulled his hand away from Merlin's shoulder and said, "This kingdom, its bigger than you and its bigger than Arthur. It's even bigger than me, and some things need to be done to keep the peace." For a second, just a second, Merlin almost could have sworn that Uther was showing him a shred of pity on his face. But just as soon as Merlin had saw it, was it gone, disappearing just as easily as the wind did. And Uther was talking again, "We all have to do our part to make sure that the kingdom is secure, to make sure that our own undoing's won't effect the kingdom itself. This is your burden to bear, and it's a heavy load."

Uther signed heavy, looking weary as he gazed down at the boy he'd married his only heir off to. He wondered if the boy would be able to bear the weight of his burden, of his duty. Sure, it seemed like such a simple thing to Uther, but Uther had also had years of experience at balancing on the careful that was between being royalty and being human.

But Arthur and Merlin were so young, not yet tainted by the burden of the crown. Not let ruined because they had to do horrible things, thing that were for the good of their kingdom.

The matter still stood though, they could not live in a kingdom where the people doubted the one's in charge. And how were the people supposed to be confident in it's rulers, if their own personal lives were such a mess.

With the way that Arthur behaved, often at the price of the common folk, many of them had lost their confidence in the prince's future rule. Which was why Uther had sent out a manhunt so urgently when he learned that Hunith and her son was no longer where he had left them.

As much as he wished he could have brokered a marriage between his son and one of the many princess's their world held, it wasn't what their kingdom had needed right now.

The only way to instill confidence back in the people, was for Arthur to marry a commoner, a person so ordinary that anybody would wonder how he had gotten the attention of royalty.

Nobody had to know that the commoner chosen, was only chosen because of a grave mistake on Uther's part: when he had signed that dreaded contract so many years ago.

Merlin though, standing in front of Uther, was internally screaming. And it took everything he had not to be screaming on the outside as well. He wanted to say no, that this was not his burden to bear, and certainly not his heaviest in the least. He had his own problems, he had to keep himself safe and hidden, so that he wouldn't be burned for the crime of just being born. With a weight that heavy already on him, how was he supposed to carry Arthur and the crown's as well?

This was more weight then he had been expecting, when he had told Morgana back at the tournament, that he would try and help Arthur anyway that he could.

Was there nobody that could help Merlin carry his own burden?

No, not when Merlin didn't know anyone enough to know if they were trustworthy. Not when he knew that the less people that knew about him, the safer he actually was.

Even under Uther's stern gaze.

Merlin licked at his lips, feeling as if they were starting to crack because of how dry they were, "And what happens if I can't do what you want?" He asked quietly. He didn't think, even with his crush on Arthur, that he would be able to pretend that they were some kind of...star crossed lovers, living in their happily ever after? Not if it wasn't real, not if Arthur didn't feel anything for him.

Something in Uther's eye's seemed to harden at that, as if he was finally getting tired of all of Merlin's inquiries, "Then we have no need for you."

Merlin nearly reeled back at that, looking horrified because he had no idea what that meant. Did that mean, if Merlin wasn't about to do this properly...was Uther going to find an excuse to have him killed? Or was Merlin just blowing all of this out of proportion, and he really hoped that he was.

"...You're not just going to allow me to return home, are you?" Merlin asked quietly.

"No." Was Uther's response. The answer had been so simple and to the point, but to Merlin, it felt as if the balcony might as well had crumbled underneath his feet and sent him to his own grisly death at the foot of the castle.

Merlin had to steel his nerves, feeling what had to be a spike of agitation. This wasn't fair, none of this was fair! What had Merlin ever done to anybody that would warrant this disruption to his life? Sure, he wasn't always happy in Ealdor, his mother used to claim that it was because Ealdor was just to small for someone with as big of a spirit as Merlin had. But Merlin knew it was because just like here, he didn't belong.

He didn't belong anywhere, so what did he have to lose?

"Are you going to kill me if I don't comply?"

He asked bluntly. If that was Uther's plan, if that was where all of this pain he was feeling was heading towards, then Merlin needed to know. If only so he could prepare himself, for either his demise or his escape.

Uther actually seemed startled by Merlin's accusation, as if he wasn't expecting Merlin to call him out on it. But if Merlin was already marked for death, then why shouldn't he question the king?

Uther took a moment to formulate his response to the smaller boy, "I do not believe that you need to concern yourself with matters like that. Not when there are other things to discuss before we retire for our beds."

Bed? After this conversation, how was Merlin expected to just go on to sleep? It was like whatever tiredness he'd been feeling before, had been completely washed out of his system. He also couldn't help but notice that Uther hadn't given him a definite answer, opting to go for a more political one where he answered the question without actually giving an answer.

Merlin licked at his lips again, and it brought forth the memory of Arthur grabbing his chin and forcing his lip out from between his teeth. Back before Arthur had freaked out ok him. What he would give to go back to that stupid hallway, before Arthur had freaked out and before Uther had dragged him up here. But with all of Merlin's untapped potential, he didn't think traveling back through time was one of them.

So with no other option than going forward, Merlin asked the king, "And what would that be, sire?"

"Your introduction to society, of course." Uther said, as if that should have been something Merlin should have known.

Merlin just stared at him blankly, "My what-now?" He wasn't entirely sure what an 'introduction to society' was supposed to mean. Well, it seemed pretty self explanatory, but it did also left Merlin with some questions.

Uther acted as if it greatly pained him to have to explain, shaking his head because Gaius had been right. Merlin would need some education on certain matters. "Your introduction to society." He painstakingly explained. "When you married my son, you became a part of society's circle. And as you were a commoner before all of this, tonight was a perfect start to getting you out there. I bring this up now because I did notice that there were thing's that could be improved upon the next time your involvement is needed. Like it's prudent to show up on time, and to not distract my ward with frivolous conversations, or-"

"Wait, wait, wait." Merlin actually interrupted, waving his hands. He ignored Uther's narrowing eye's and thinning lips, apparently not appreciating being interrupted. But Merlin didn't bother apologizing. After Uther had all but demanded he put on some kind of show for the people with Arthur, he figured that he could take some liberties. "This whole meet-and-greet thing was to introduce me to the nobles? I thought I did that at the wedding!"

And there were several instances that flooded his mind. Like when he'd met Arthur's friends, pricks all of them. Or when he'd met that drunken noblewoman that had to be dragged off by her husband. Or even when he'd met that cruel nobleman, the one that acted like he wanted to hit him because Merlin didn't agree with 'branding the servants'.

"That wedding was just a formality," Uther drawled out, enunciating each word so that he could show Merlin just how irate he was by the interruption. "And it was on such short notice, that not everyone was able to attend or get here on time. There was only a handful of Camelot's society in attendance, so I don't consider it an acceptable way of introducing you to the finest society has to offer."

Merlin's eye's nearly boggled at that, knowing that his wedding guests-where he practically knew nobody at his own wedding-was only a fraction of who was supposed to attend if they'd stretched the wedding out to a further date.

Uther continued on, "I thought tonight would be a more acceptable way of introducing you. And it doesn't hurt that most of them are close to your age." Uther stopped to give Merlin a stern eye. "I wasn't able to keep my attention on you at all times, I did have my own thing's to do. And while the earlier things that I mentioned do need to be addressed for the next time, I do hope that you made yourself a good impression on them."

Merlin's mind went straight to Valiant, and the awful thing he had said just before he departed, how he had claimed Arthur must be embarrassed and ashamed to be married to him. Not because of anything he had done personally, but simply because he was a commoner.

Should he bring it up to Uther...no, he didn't think the king would show care. And Merlin wasn't one to go tattling when the first opportunity arose. Besides, all Valiant had done was be rude, it wasn't like he had struck him.

So Merlin gave the king a very weak smile, feeling more awkward then he actually looked as he stopped to clear his throat, "And what exactly would you say if I told you I don't think I did?"

Uther's eye's sharpened on the other boy, sounding firmer than anybody had the right to when he said, "Those knight's are the son's of some of the most influential families that Camelot has to offer. I do hope that I will not have to go around apologizing on your behalf."

And maybe it was the belittling tone that Uther had fallen into the longer he had talked, maybe it was because Uther sounded as if he was prepared to scold a small child, or maybe Merlin was just tired of being here and being told all these thing's that he was having trouble wrapping his mind around. But whatever it was, it forced Merlin to straighten up and narrow his own eye's at the king, "No." he said firmly. "If there is any apologizing to be done, I will do it myself."

Not that he was going to apologize to Valiant, he hadn't done anything wrong. If anything, Valiant needed to apologize to him! But he also didn't appreciate Uther treating him as if he were an imbecile. He knew that he was having trouble adjusting, struggling to figure out everything that came with being a Royal, but he didn't need Uther to tell him these thing's.

He already knew them well.

Uther raised an eyebrow at the boy, looking almost curious by this. And for barely half a second, Uther could have sworn that he was almost impressed by the boy's words and his boldness in saying them. But just as soon as Uther felt the brief emotion, it was gone faster than a dying candlelight snuffed out by the wind.

"I trust that you will keep your word, then." Uther said, he was going to make sure Merlin kept his word. "A man knows when he is wrong, and should apologize for any misgiving's he did."

Merlin wondered if he should press his luck, if he should demand an apology from Uther. After all, Uther was the reason that he was here, the reason that all of this was happening in the first place. It was only right that Merlin get an apology for being dragged into it.

But nobody could say that Merlin was a complete idiot. He knew it was better to let thing's go, mainly because he knew not to hold his breath if he was waiting for an apology. He'd probably be long dead before the king gave the briefest hint of even contemplating doing it.

"Was there anything else, sire?" Merlin asked, a touch of bitterness creeping into his voice. "Or should I retire for my bedroom."

He didn't think he'd be able to sleep though, not by a long shot. A walk around the castle, now that sounded like a better alternative, just so he could have a moment to think.

Uther looked as if he was contemplating his answer, trying to consider any last minute notes that he could make for Merlin. He supposed he could bring out Merlin's mistakes during his 'performance' when he was greeting the knight's, make sure that Merlin knew all of his mistakes so that he could correct them for the next time he was needed.

But he'd already mentioned those mistakes, so no. He was not a man that needed to say thing's twice, and he wasn't going to start now.

But then again, there was something that needed to be said before the boy started running his mouth to the wrong people. "There is one more thing." Uther said, in a gruff tone.

Merlin winced, pretty sure that he was not going to like this 'one more thing' one little bit. "And what would that be...sire?" He finished awkwardly. Had he done something else wrong that the king was all to willing to point out? Or for all he knew, maybe the king just wanted to give him a more in-depth history lesson.

It wasn't neither of them.

"I trust that you are aware of the contract between my family and yours." Uther said, his harsh eyes focused down at the boy, and ready to punish him if he answered with anything other than yes.

He did not want to waste his time informing the boy of something he should have already been fully aware of.

"You mean the contract my mother signed when she was young, practically offering my soul to your son?"

Merlin said this with a dry and sarcastic tone. And really, wasn't that exactly what this was? Their arrangement, there was no love to it, it might as well have been signing Merlin's very soul over to somebody who did nothing but baffle him. Who made him question if Arthur liked him (because he was always getting close to him) or didn't like him at all (because he only did things like kiss him when it was expected of him). It made Merlin wonder if Arthur would be willing to even take good care of his soul, or if Merlin would have no choice but to sit back and watch it whither and die inside of him.

Uther didn't seem to care much for Merlin's sarcastic comment. In fact, he didn't say anything about it all, but maybe he was just ready to leave as much as Merlin was.

"As I'm sure your aware now," Uther started in a stern tone. "The contract between our families is not known among the public."

Merlin nodded, "Yeah," and here was when Uther winced, apparently not pleased with Merlin saying a lax 'yeah' instead of the more proper 'yes' term that someone in high society would use. "I got that when all the knight's kept telling me it was an 'honor' to meet the commoner who would have the king willing to bless the marriage between him and his only son."

And really, that was pretty much the gist of every conversation he'd had with anyone of the knight's that had approached him. Other than Valiant and Arthur, that is.

Uther didn't seem to surprised by this, in fact, he almost seemed pleased. "Good, good." Uther muttered, half to himself. It was better that people assumed that Merlin was somebody special, instead of just a random boy that had been fortunate to be the 'firstborn child of Hunith and Balinor' as the contract had stated. It was better than people knowing Uther's misgiving's, it was better that people didn't know the truth.

If only so Uther could save some face himself.

Uther finally seemed to realize that Merlin was still staring at him, and was now casually trying to ease himself towards the door to make his grand escape. Uther starting to talk forced him to stop in mid-slide, "I trust that you haven't told anyone about it yourself?"

Merlin straightened up, as if he thought Uther was accusing him of something, "No, I haven't! I didn't exactly want it to spread that I was only here because there was no way of getting out of it. I didn't want to face the repercussions of what would happen if I didn't comply." Merlin stopped and stared at the king. "What exactly were the repercussions of not going through with it?"

Merlin had been told-back when Leon had first arrived at his hut and told him about the contract-that there was no getting out of it. That it was so iron clad, that the king's own council hadn't been able to find a loophole to get them out of it. But only now was it occurring to him, could he have just said no? Could he have chosen to stay with his mother and let the king stew knowing that a 'simple commoner' had the gall to tell him 'no.' Or would some horrible punishment had fallen back on him because of his refusal?

Merlin had to stop himself from slapping a hand to his forehead in his frustrations. Now, these were the kind of questions that he should have asked before agreeing to anything. If there was some kind of punishment for it, who's to say that Merlin wasn't willing to live with it?

Uther seemed to suddenly be directly in front of him, moving so fast that Merlin hadn't even seen him coming. Not till Merlin was forced to take a step back so that he could keep his balance, startled by the sudden movement of the king.

"Let's pray that you never find out, boy." Uther said, his tone almost threateningly.

Merlin didn't like that tone at all. It was something dark and gave him a worrisome chill. He had to swallow hard, feeling as if there was a lump in his throat. Whatever 'repercussions' he could have faced if he had said no...Merlin was thinking now that it was better he had just agreed to come.

Uther gazed narrowed eyed on the slimmer boy, as if to emphasize just how serious he was being. And then the king was finally stepping away, allowing the boy a minute to collect himself.

Uther, with his hands folded behind his back, felt his finger's clamping together tightly, refusing to elaborate the actual details of the contract to the boy, lest he actually try to force one of the repercussions into play. If Uther told Merlin what his repercussions for saying no was, it would only lead the boy to start asking what Arthur's repercussions would have been.

He had read the contract himself several times when it had first came to light after twenty years. He knew full well of what had been signed. If his son had refused, his punishment would have been to lose his kingdom. His son wouldn't have a throne or a crown, something he'd worked all these years to be able to carry someday. It would have been gone in an instant, turned over to this peasant boy who didn't have a clue. Hell, even now, they were still in danger of losing everything. If Merlin ever caught his son with another lover, if his son couldn't keep any future affairs (other than the one he would have to briefly participate in to produce an heir) a secret from the boy, then Merlin could very well contest the contract. They could still lose everything and be turned out as if they were paupers.

But only if Merlin knew what he could gain from discovering if Arthur ever had an affair.

But still, depending on who you asked, Merlin's own punishment would be so much more worse. More...personal, considering Hunith nor Balinor had much to offer when the contract had first been struck.

Uther barely gave Merlin a moment to get himself collected before he started talking again, "The only people that are aware of this contract is your family and my own. Plus, a few of the more trusted members of my council. And Gaius." He added as an after thought. While Gaius was a member of his council, he acted more in the capacity of being the physician he was, instead of an actual advisor.

Merlin was still reeling over what the repercussions actually would have been if he had said no. But he supposed it didn't really matter, he'd already said 'I do'. He had the ring on his hand to prove it and all.

Merlin finally answered the king with a very awkward sounding, "Is that all?"

It was more people than he wanted to know. And he didn't know who was on Uther's 'council'. If the random nobles here or there, that he had passed throughout the weeks that he'd been here, were apart of this 'council'. And if they were somehow laughing at him, because it seemed as if everybody knew more about what this contract entailed, then Merlin himself did.

"I trust that you will keep the contract to yourself. I do not want to hear that you've been seen talking about it." Uther said, his tone promising severe repercussions of his own if Merlin didn't comply. Because heaven forbid word got out about Uther's own foolishness over signing the damn thing in the first place.

But Merlin didn't see a problem with that at all. If anything, that was actually a relief. It was bad enough that this 'council' knew the truth. He didn't want everybody else to know that he was nothing more than 'a pampered prisoner'.

"Trust me, sire, nobody will hear about it from me." Merlin said dryly.

"Good, I believe that is all I have require from you." The king said, turning away from Merlin. As if he no longer had any use for him now that he'd said all that he needed to.

Merlin wasn't going to complain about that, and quickly gave a half-bow, trying to hurry up so that he could get out of here before the king changed his mind, "Yes, sire."

Uther saw out the corner of his eye, and his lip gave a small curl of disgust. If Merlin was going to bow at all, then it should have been a full bow. Not to mention, bowing to the king wasn't something that was required for a consort. Camelot's consort's in the past had been better treated than that, acting more in the capacity of an equal to the royal family, instead of subservient.

But he wasn't going to be bringing that up to Merlin. After all, none of Camelot's past consorts had ever been common born, so there were just some thing's Uther felt he shouldn't bother bringing to Merlin's attention.

A king did deserve the proper respect, after all.

Merlin spun around on the heel of his foot, hurrying across the balcony so that he could reach the glass doors. He was almost home free, and then he was out of here! Merlin could practically taste the freedom on his tongue. He had just tugged on the door handle, pulling the door open an inch before he was interrupted.

"Merlin."

Merlin froze, feeling his shoulder's hunch up closer towards his ears. "Er, yes...sire?" He didn't dare turn around, almost worried that if he did, he would be stuck up here for hours, with no chance of an actual escape.

"There is just one last thing you should know before you go."

And there it was, the dread coming back full force. Uther had been speaking calmly, a little to calmly, considering the almost threatening note that they had ended on.

Merlin finally gave in, and cautiously peeked over his shoulder, if only to go ahead and get this over with.

Uther was standing on the far side of the balcony, with his back to Merlin, and his hands tucked behind his back. He stood in front of the railing, looking back out over his city.

Merlin felt his finger's twitching around the handle of the door, and the only thing that stopped him from just leaving was because he didn't think the king would hesitate sending the guards after him. He'd already been in the stocks once, before anybody had known that it was him marrying Arthur. He wondered if the king would be willing to do it again, now that he was 'consort'.

"I'm listening." Merlin said simply, and maybe it sounded more rude than he meant to come off. He hadn't added the 'sire' part to the end of it. Maybe it was just because he was sick of saying it, or maybe it was because he was just ready to get on out of here.

Uther didn't seem to notice either way. Or maybe he did notice, and he was just as weary as Merlin was, and was ready for their conversation to be over. Whatever it was, Uther didn't mention his lack of respect.

"This kingdom, my kingdom," Uther said, not looking back at Merlin as he spoke up. "It was molded into what it is today because of the great men that have come before us all, and it's my family legacy to keep it from falling. But I also see a kingdom, that can become even greater than it already is. The kind of kingdom that can become a legend, even long after this era of the Great Five Kingdoms has ended and everything around us has returned to the dust it once was."

Merlin watched, almost fascinated by these word's. Camelot was already an amazing kingdom (the executions of the magical community not-withstanding). It was an ambitious thought though, to think that Camelot would be one of those very rare kingdoms-if ever-that would be grand enough that it would fall straight into the legends of their history.

"But legends like that, are only made if they are ruled by Great King's. I have every faith that my son can become one of these Great King's, and lead Camelot straight into the legends of old."

Merlin's fascinated expression shifted straight into a more dubious one, and he felt himself stiffen. This kind of talk...it was sounding just like the dragon chained under the kingdom had told him. What had he said again? Something about Arthur being the one to be able to unite the Great Kingdoms into what would be known as Albion? If that wasn't the kind of man that would lead his own kingdom straight into the legend's, he didn't know what was.

But still...Arthur, being that great king? It still seemed kind of far fetched to him.

"...Are you sure?" Merlin asked, sounding uncertain. He had no doubt that the king could hear just how dubious he was, with his every word practically soaking in it.

Uther seemed to pick up on it immediately, but he didn't chastised Merlin for it either. In fact, he didn't seem all that surprised by Merlin's doubt either. "My son is still young." He said, but it sounded to Merlin as if it was just an excuse for Arthur's poor behavior. "And his story has not yet been told, nor has it been written. He's still just a boy, but one day, and I hope that it's soon, he'll become a man worthy of bringing our kingdom into a golden age."

If this was anybody else, Merlin would have claimed that they were delusional. Either that, or they had gotten into the wine cellars and drunk an entire barrel of the stuff. But the king had sounded as if he truly believed that his son could become one of the Great's.

Merlin looked away, a contemplative expression on his face. Both Uther and the dragon seemed to think that Arthur was destined to become something special. But at the same time, Merlin had to wonder if he was missing something, because he just didn't see it. All he saw was Arthur bullying Morris that first day, or making excuses that the nobleman at their wedding party wouldn't have actually hit him. Or even how all Arthur did was seem to taunt him, and that was when he wasn't pushing Merlin against thing's to demand answers.

...Why did he have a crush on him again?

If Arthur was somebody that could become one of the Great's, then Merlin almost feared for them all. Or maybe the king just had a point, and Arthur was still young. Maybe he could grow up and become that Great King that Uther was talking about.

Merlin still found himself doubting it though, but maybe that was just because Merlin could be very cynical at times.

Merlin licked at his very dry lips before he said, "Then I'll be sure to be on the look out for when this man Arthur is supposed to become finally emerges."

Maybe it wasn't the best thing to say to Arthur's father, but Merlin also didn't regret it. Whatever kind of 'king' that both Uther and the dragon could see Arthur becoming... it needed to be said by someone that this 'great king' just wasn't who Arthur was now.

Arthur didn't seem like the kind of man-more of a boy, really-who would be able to lead a kingdom into-what had Uther called it-a golden age? How could somebody (that cared way to much about what people thought of him, or who did things only if his father commanded it) possibly be able to become somebody that great?

"Merlin," Uther spoke up, still not turning to look at his son's consort. "I am only telling you this so that you can fully understand the great future that I have planned for my son."

Merlin narrowed his eye's, still hovering in the doorway. There was something about the way the king had spoken those words, that was just distasteful to Merlin.

"He is a prince, sire." Merlin said slowly, his finger's twitching against the door handle in his hand. "I believe that, even if it's not the future you envisioned for him, I'm sure he's still marked for great things."

Even if the dragon and Uther were wrong about Arthur being this 'golden king' or someone who would 'lead them all to Albion', surely he would still be able to do other things that could mark him down in history. How many kings were there in history, that had done absolutely nothing in all of their time as a ruler, and yet was still known throughout their kingdom's. Arthur would be just another in a long line of his family of king's.

Uther nodded, still not looking back at Merlin, "Yes." He said simply. "But simply being a prince is not enough for him to rule like I have done." This was the part where Merlin wanted to open his mouth and protest. That Uther shouldn't be wishing for his son to rule as he had, that the way Uther ruled his kingdom with an iron fist, was wrong. But Uther had continued talking before he had the chance to, "If my son is to be king someday, he can not be weighed down by petty things."

Merlin scrunched his face up, he hated to see what Uther would consider as something 'petty'. But Merlin could see merit in it, that somebody who was king shouldn't also be dealing with certain matters. Not if he had advisors or certain guards that he could delegate to doing the less important tasks. So Merlin relaxed his facial muscles and said a soft, "I agree, sire."

But even as he said those words, Merlin could feel a stirring of guilt swirl uneasily in his stomach. Was it wrong that he was talking about Arthur's future with his father, with the prince himself not being present? It was starting to feel to much like Uther and Merlin were deciding Arthur's fate, with absolutely no input from the man in question himself.

He didn't like it.

"I'm glad that we are in agreement." Uther said, before finally turning to look at Merlin. Only, he didn't turn all the way around. All he did was turn his head so that he was looking over his shoulder at him, as if he couldn't be bothered to do anything more than that. Because Merlin wasn't important enough to turn around for.

Merlin felt himself stiffen some, starting to feel anxious. This was Uther Pendragon, the father of his husband, and the man that killed sorcerer's with little to no thought about his actions. He didn't think he wanted to be in 'agreement' or anything with Uther. And he really wished that he could have taken his word's back. But he couldn't, because they were already out there in the open, and now Uther was talking again.

"So, Merlin, I am going to tell you this one time, and I do not wish for you to forget it." Uther turned back around so that he wasn't looking at Merlin any longer. "Do not be a burden to my son."

Merlin went completely stiff, almost feeling numb all over. But it only lasted for a second, before a spark of anger rose in him. Was Merlin one of the petty things that Uther thought Arthur shouldn't concern himself with when he wasn't needed?

There were just so many thing's that he could have done in that moment. He could have screamed and shouted, and even if Uther had him executed for 'disrespecting the king' it would have been worth it. Merlin could have argued that he was not a burden, and that he could take care of himself just fine. That, if anything, Arthur was the one burdening him. At any given moment, the prince could practically drive him up the walls, practically giving him whiplash because of his many mood swings.

But he didn't say or do any of that. It wouldn't have helped him, it probably would have made thing's worse in the long run. And the one thing that made him hold it together like he was, was because he knew if he did do anything like that, all he would have done was proven Uther's point. He would be a burden if he couldn't control his temper.

Merlin sucked in a deep breath through his teeth, not trusting himself to open his mouth any wider. Because he knew if he did, everything he was thinking would have probably poured out in an instant.

Only when he felt like he could speak without going into a rage, did he say a curt, "Don't worry, sire. Arthur will find that I'm not a burden he needs to be worried about."

Now that Merlin had said what he wanted to say, he didn't hesitate to spin around and started storming down the stair's. He didn't bother waiting for Uther to dismiss him this time, he just left on his own, doing the dismissing himself. He felt as if there was a storm cloud hovering over him, and that spark of rage inside of him ignited again.

A burden? Uther thought that he was going to be a burden? Then why the hell did he even want to bother with pretending that Merlin was here on his own violation? Why was he having 'proper' clothing made for Merlin? Why had he even been allowed at the knight's meet-and-greet, if Uther just thought that he was going to get in the way?

Why was he even here?

Wouldn't it had been so much easier to just lock him in a room somewhere, out of the way where nobody would find him? Nobody would have even known that he was here, if Uther hadn't made a speculation out of the wedding.

Merlin's blue eyes practically blazed in the darkness as he stomped off down the hallway after he'd reached the bottom of the stairs.

It would be a long time before he would be finding any sleep tonight.

X

Back on the balcony, Uther took a deep breath of the crisp night air, and felt it filling up his lungs. He felt no guilt once so ever about what he had just said to his son's consort. After all, the boy needed to know what Uther expected from him, and how his marriage to Uther's heir was going to go.

His son already had enough on his plate, especially with them being in the middle of the tournament. He wouldn't allow Merlin to be another problem, something to distract his son away from proving his worth to his people by winning this tournament.

X

On the other side of the castle, back down into the bowels of Camelot castle, there was another much needed conversation that was taking place. A conversation that had been in the making for the better part of a decade.

Ewan was shivering in disgust, feeling something inside of him clench up when the other man had called him 'big brother'. Ewan was the oldest out of all of Valiant's brother's (which was a sharp contrast compared to Valiant who was the youngest) and probably the only one that had bullied him the least as they grew up.

"Don't call me that." Ewan hissed through a clenched jaw. 'Big brother' had been a nickname that only Valiant had ever called him. None of their other brother's had done it, even if Ewan was older than them all.

-

Ewan had asked Valiant once when the man in front of him was barely ten, why he insisted on calling Ewan that instead of his name.

After Valiant had answered him, Ewan made it a point to never ask the question again. To not even protest against it, because Valiant would have done it even more, just trying to upset him.

Maybe he should have known then that there was something wrong with Valiant in the head. Or maybe he was just to blind to see the darkness starting to swirl in the small child that was his brother.

Valiant had explained to him, that it was a way to remind himself that Ewan wasn't even supposed to be here, in their family. That, if their father could keep it in his pants, then Ewan would have never been born. That Ewan was the one link that messed up their entire family chain.

Before Valiant's parents had gotten together, Valiant's father had a one night thing with a barmaid. She had fallen pregnant, but was headstrong, and refused to marry Valiant's father simply because she was pregnant. She didn't care if she was called a 'whore' or 'loose', she wasn't going to marry somebody that she didn't love. She even refused to accept any gold from him to help with the baby's expenses, wanting nothing more to do with him. She even told people that she had no idea who the father was. It didn't help her reputation, but it did protect Ewan from anybody that may want to hurt him because of his father's noble status.

Not long after, their father had met and ended up marrying Valiant's mother, and they had married before giving birth to several strong son's.

Before Valiant had been born, the weakest of the lot.

Ewan's mother had ended up dying around the same time that Valiant had been born. So the ten year old had no choice but to live with his father, who had come to collect him after word of his mother's death had reached him in his estate.

-

Valiant didn't seem all that concerned about his anger, he actually seemed to ignore it. And that was only if he wasn't taking in some kind of sick pleasure from it.

"I saw you, you know." Valiant said, sounding casual as he ran his hand along the stone wall he stood by. "When you first arrived, but I didn't think you'd like it for me to approach you." He gave a soft smile to the brother he thought he'd never see again.

But Ewan didn't buy that smile for a second. It was the same kind of smile that Valiant had used on his mother when they were young, back when he would ask if he could get an extra dessert. He'd always gotten it to, because even from a young age, Valiant had known exactly what to do to get what he wanted.

As long as it wasn't something dangerous, of course. Valiant's mother would have never allowed the man to do anything if it could even cause him a paper cut.

"I saw you as well, brother." Ewan said, watching Valiant's every movement with narrowed eye's. As if he thought the brother he hadn't seen in over a decade, was a snake in hiding, just waiting to strike him down if he made the wrong move. That still didn't stop Ewan from saying, "I had hoped that I was wrong."

Nothing had been the same after that faithful day over a decade ago, not after what Valiant had done to them. In one single motion, he had basically ripped their entire family apart. And then was promptly thrown out of the estate, he hadn't even stuck around long enough to see the damage that he had caused.

Valiant's lips seemed to curl up at Ewan's word's, giving off the impression of mocking amusement before he said cockily, "How's the family?"

Ewan felt something inside of him freeze up, almost in disbelief over the gall Valiant had to actually ask him that. He didn't care that it had been a decade since Valiant had seen them last, he knew that the other man knew exactly how their family was! The exact same way they had been when Valiant had left: complete devastation.

"You know exactly how they've been!" Ewan snarled, doing nothing to stop his fists from clenching tightly at his side's. "All this time, the chaos you caused our family hasn't faded. Did you know that even today, your mother refuses to get out of bed! She think's it's her fault that you turned out like you did!"

Valiant shrugged, not looking all that concerned by this news as he said bluntly, "It is her fault." He'd blamed his mother his entire childhood, for always trying to coddle him instead of treating him like the rest of his brother's. As if Valiant was going to drop dead just because he had been born sickly. After all this time, of laying the blame squarely at her feet, he wasn't going to stop blaming her now.

Ewan looked horrified by this, as if he had honestly been expecting some kind of remorse for his actions. But no, it was clear that Valiant didn't care about what he had done, or the devastation that he had caused them.

Ewan felt something in his chest start to harden, "Are you still blaming people for your own failing's?" It was the one thing that Valiant had been good at in their childhood, blaming other's for something that he had done. "I just told you that your mother refuses to leave her bedside!" Ewan took a step closer, throwing his hand's out in his frustration. "Is that really all you have to say!"

Valiant was looking at him with a bored expression now, looking as if he wouldn't mind forgoing this entire conversation simply because it no longer interested him. "So I guess that means they're not here this year?"

Every year, their family participated in this tournament. It was sort of a family tradition, one that Valiant had been to young to enter himself by the time everything had happened within their family. He'd never even been allowed to come and watch, his mother worried that his 'weak immune system' that he hadn't had since the first few weeks of his birth, would act up and that he wouldn't survive the journey.

Valiant had expected to run into his family at some point while he was here, he knew that their paths would have crossed path's eventually. With as many brother's as he had, he was only surprised that he hadn't run into them earlier. But from what rumors he had heard, most of the family had been shut away in their estate like a bunch of recluse's after what had happened.

Ewan could feel his chest heaving up and down, because of how fast he was breathing. But he couldn't help himself either, every word that Valiant spoke had just made him all that much angrier.

"No, it's just me." Ewan had to force out. "They didn't want to travel this far away from home, in case your mother needed them while they were gone."

Valiant nodded, looking as if he was pretending to be curious, but Ewan had a feeling that his younger brother was just mocking him, "So does that mean they kicked you out as well? Or do you just not care that the woman who raised you as her own, refuses to leave her sickbed."

Ewan wrenched himself forward, unable to stop himself from grabbing Valiant by his lapels and throwing him against the wall, pinning him there harshly. "Don't you dare! Don't you dare presume to think you know anything about me!" He was so pissed, practically seeing red by this point, that he didn't notice that Valiant hadn't even bothered to fight back. To content to watch, and see just how far he could push his oldest brother. "You are the one that should be by her side! Not that she wants you there after what you did! After all, you were the one that killed Daniel!"

The air around them seemed to freeze as Ewan shouted the name. As if it had been some unspoken word between them, that should have never been said out loud. But there it was, that name...Daniel. Daniel was the name of one of their many brother's, the one that had been born a year before Valiant had been. He was the one that had ridiculed Valiant over the rubbery sword that he had gotten for his eighteenth birthday. So Valiant, after having dealt with this kind of treatment for years, had killed him, by right of conquest.

Not that his family had seen it as that. Valiant had been promptly turned away, and thrown out with barely anything left to his name.

Quietly, Valiant asked Ewan, "Are you going to tell the king about what I did?" And his hand, not even bothering to clench around Ewan's wrists as he held him against the wall, casually slid behind his back. He felt his finger's curling around the handle of the dagger he had hanging off his belt, carefully hidden by his cape.

If another brother had to die, then so be it.

Ewan's hands were almost shaking, because that was probably the first time he'd said Daniel's name since the day he'd died all those years ago. He slowly raised his eye's from where he had been staring blankly at Valiant's chest piece ever since he'd shouted Daniel's name, so that he could look his little brother in the face. And what he saw in Valiant's eyes...the blank stare, as if he didn't care one way or another about anything that Ewan had said or did. It was clear that nothing Ewan said was going to draw forth any sort of regret or guilt from him.

Ewan swallowed hard, looking back down at Valiant's chest plate. Just so he wouldn't have to look at the endless void that was his eye's.

"No..." he answered shakily, practically wrenching his hand's away from Valiant, and taking a step back so that he could get some much needed air. He had thought of this moment so many times, of what he would do or say it he ever got the chance to confront Valiant about the crimes he had made against their family.

But now that he was here, now that he was actually talking to him, nothing was going as he had planned.

...He just didn't know what he was supposed to do.