"I can't believe Gaius said that to my Father," said Arthur, ignoring the soup that was being placed in front of him, it smelled like old cheese, so instead he stare up at Merlin. "He never normally speaks out of turn."

"Well, can you blame him?" offered Merlin then, with a smirk, and Arthur shook his head, he could not blame him at all. He let his eyes narrow down now, to the soup and he pulled a face. "I didn't make it, so if it's bad that's not my fault..." said Merlin, before he disappeared, or rather, got on his hands and knees with a bucket and a rag, to clean the floors. Arthur tasted the soup and it tasted worse than it smelled, it was like moldy, old cheese. He cleared his throat, and pushed it away, Merlin ignored him. Instead, Arthur sat back in his chair now, and picked up the bread Merlin had also brought, to go along with the nasty soup. Arthur plucked little bits off of it, and tossed them toward Merlin. He was making a game of trying to hit him on the top of the head. Merlin ignored this too, until one such piece actually hit and landed there. Arthur ginned at it, as Merlin turned around, with narrowed eyebrows. "Why are you doing that?" he shot at him. "Can't you see I am trying to clean your floors, you pig?"

"Well...that isn't very nice to say to your Prince, Merlin," he retorted, but he felt light and finally, after all this with the Witchfinder done, at peace. It had been a week since then and it felt like things were going back to normal.

"Oh, I am so sorry, Sire," Merlin offered back, voice slick with distaste. "By all means, continue pelting me with your rubbish..."

"I only wish I could," said Arthur, almost dreamy. As he honestly did, he wished he could stay here all day, throwing bits of bread at Merlin. "But I have to finish my rounds."

"Oh no..." retorted Merlin, before turning back to the floor at hand. "Whatever will I do while you're gone..."

"Not your job, that's for sure," said Arthur. He couldn't exactly see Merlin all to well, from where he was on the floor, but Arthur didn't miss the lines of a smile forming on his face.

"Prat..."

Though Arthur still didn't want to, he had to leave after that. He had to return to his rounds, which meant making an appearance in the lower town. He had met Gwen there, who beamed at him when she saw him. She walked with him for awhile. Gwen was always kind but it seemed she was more kind since the events with the Witchfinder. Apparently, Arthur doing as she asked and stopping Gaius' execution meant that he was 'quite brave,' and 'very humble,' at least that's what Merlin said she was saying, and Arthur didn't know if that were true exactly, but he would take the praise anyway. Arthur thought, what it was really though, is that Gwen never thought she had a voice, or was allowed a voice, she always saw herself as only a servant, and though she was a servant, no one was only the thing that they were, Arthur wasn't only a prince, he was also Arthur, and she was also Gwen. She wasn't just a servant, she was also kind and thoughtful and smart, she just needed to see that. Arthur thought there were probably better man than him to show her this though. Gwen walked with him all the way back to the castle, where she would go to meet Morgana, to bring her dinner. Arthur wondered if Merlin had gone to fetch his dinner yet, but once he returned to his chambers and saw the wet floors and Merlin on hands and knees still, now though, by the window by his desk, he sighed. No dinner for him then.

"How can you still be doing this?" he asked, as he slipped on a wet spot, as he walked inside. He grabbed a chair, to stop himself from falling.

"DON'T!" shouted Merlin. "Don't ruin my floors!"

Arthur glare over at him. "No, please don't worry about me falling, just about your floors!"

"I wouldn't be too mad if you fell, to be honest," said Merlin then and Arthur's glare turned into a dark look.

"Excuse me?" he retorted. "How dare you...?"

"I dare like this..." he opened and shut his mouth a few times. "It's called talking, you should try it, without being an insensitive clotpole for once..."

Arthur's face continued to stay in the dark look, as he made his way carefully, still slipping a few times though, over to where Merlin was. "If you don't take that back right now!" he argued at him, though he was not sure he was really mad. They did this, this was just how they lived life.

"What are you going to do to me?" offered Merlin then, a look of complete disrespect written clearly on his face, along with a smirk on his lips. Arthur wasn't sure what he was going to do, he hadn't gotten that far, the threat was all he really had. He looked around and saw the bucket of dirty water. He smirked at it.

"Take it back or I'll dump this bucket on you!"

"You wouldn't!" challenged Merlin, and Arthur looked up at him, dark look gone, he grinned now, very knowingly, Merlin's sureness faltered and he frowned. "Alright, you would..."

Arthur laughed, but then stopped himself from doing so, to keep trying to look threatening instead, he doubted it worked. "Apologize!"

"I'm sorry..." said Merlin, pointedly, and Arthur nodded, encouraging him on. "For calling you a prat..."

"And?"

"And calling you an insensitive clotpole..."

"Good...and?"

"And...and for saying I wouldn't be mad if you fell...even if I wouldn't be."

"Merlin!" warned Arthur, Merlin grinned back at him. "And...?"

"And..." Merlin thought for a long second. "And for spitting in your soup..."

"You didn't spit in my soup!"

Merlin's grin got bigger and he shrugged his shoulders. "Maybe I did...maybe I didn't...how can you really tell? Maybe I spit in your food all the time...?"

Arthur stare at him. "...you're an idiot."

Merlin nodded and went to say something, which was probably insulting, but his voice was lost by a knock on the door. They didn't wait to get permission to enter, they never did, and a guard walked in. "Sire," he said, looking over Arthur. "The King and the Lady Catrina would like to see you in the council chambers."

Arthur frowned, as the guard walked out. "What do they want now?" he complained. "I was having a good day..."

"Even though I spit in your soup?" offered Merlin, and he batted his stupid, long eyelashes at Arthur. Arthur rolled his eyes.

"Shut up!"

Merlin laughed, and urged Arthur toward the door. "Hurry up," he told him. "And when you come back, I'll have a spit free dinner for you...maybe."

Arthur smiled as he walked, down the halls, toward the council chambers. He couldn't help it, even if he wanted to help it, which he didn't think he really did want to help it anymore, even though he should. And these thoughts kind of confused him, but he ignored it and continued to smile. He just wanted to get whatever Uther and Catrina wanted over with, so he could go back to his chambers, because he would much rather talk to Merlin. He made him laugh and made his heart do funny things that, although they were alarming, Arthur had grown to almost enjoy...

He entered the council chambers to find Uther sitting there, at the head of the table, Catrina to his left. Even though they had been talking before, they both froze when Arthur entered. He walked in, with their eyes on him. He would ignore this too.

"Yes, Father?" he asked, in a fake voice. Uther sat up in his chair a little bit, and looked over Arthur for a long time, before he spoke.

"Arthur, Catrina and I have come to a decision," said Uther then, and Catrina reached over and took Uther's hand in hers and squeezed it. "It is not one we make lightly, it gives me grief in my heart to make such choices, but as it is for the good of the Kingdom...and for the good of you, I had to make it."

Arthur wondered what the hell this was, what he was talking about. What decision could they make? And it involved him? He was confused. "What is it?"

"Arthur," said Uther. "We have decided to ease your responsibilities." Arthur's mouth fell open, shock coming over him suddenly, like a rain cloud. "Clearly you are not yet mature enough to handle them all. It is my fault...I have treated you like a man, when you are still but a child."

"Father!" Arthur argued. "I have never done anything to prove this, I have done everything you have ever asked of me!"

"Your work has become sloppy, you grow tired, Arthur, I can sense it in you," said Uther. "You are not yet ready to be crowned King...should something happen."

Arthur's stomach lurched and he felt something cold run down his spine. "What does that mean?" he demanded, Uther frowned.

"I am revoking your Princehood," said Uther, in a stern voice. "The Lady Catrina shall be named heir to the throne."

"WHAT?!" shouted Arthur, Uther glare at him then.

"My decision has been made, Arthur. It is finale."

Catrina huffed then, next to them, and stood up. "Can't you see, Arthur?" she said, in a sickeningly sweet voice. "This is what is best for not only you, but Camelot...you are far too young to understand what is to run a kingdom."

"I might not know, but neither do you," he retorted. Uther stood up then, too, and came and took Catrina's hand, pulling her away from him.

"You will not speak to her like that," he said. Arthur look up at him and he had to swallow his shouts. He just glare at him, coldly.

"All I ever did was try to please you," he told him, and Uther rolled his eyes, he rolled his eyes. Arthur turned away then. "I see it doesn't matter to you..."

"You will still be Knighted," said Catrina then. "You can still fight for the Kingdom you love so much, only for now...you shall not rule it."

Arthur's body reacted to this, in a way he didn't understand, he just felt weak and sick at these words, and like he might cry. He lost something very precious to him, something he never thought he would be without, unless he died first. Arthur would rather die, instead of being stripped of his title. He walked away then, he refused to look at either of them.

"Arthur!" Uther called, but he did not reply, he only walked out. He blindly walked back to his chambers. It wasn't so much the title of king he was angry he lost, no...he didn't care about being king, or even prince. These were titles, but he felt like he had let down his people, let down his Father even though he was a terrible bastard and didn't deserve Arthur's love or respect. Arthur only ever wanted to make Uther proud, bottom line. He wanted Uther to be proud of him, his dead mother to be proud of him, Merlin, Morgana Gwen...his people, and now he had lost it all, all of that...

"That was fast," said Merlin, when Arthur entered his chambers, and Merlin hadn't noticed at first, the somber feeling Arthur dragged in with him. He wished he had never went to see what they wanted, he wished he had locked the door, so no one could have gotten in. They couldn't ruin his life if they couldn't get to him. He walked over and sat down in one of the arm chairs by the fire. By this point, Merlin noticed. "What's happened now?" Arthur didn't know how to say it, he didn't want Merlin to know, because so often, for so long now, Merlin talked of the day Arthur would be king, with so much love and anticipation, that...now as that dream was far off and seemed all but a fantasy, Arthur didn't know how to ruin it from him. Merlin came closer, perhaps saw the watery look of Arthur's eyes, and knelt down, to stare at him. "Arthur...?"

"He revoked my title," he just spit it out, just out like that, in a rough voice, like something was stuck in his throat. Perhaps a toad. Merlin continued to stare at him, clearly lost. "He's naming Catrina heir to the throne..."

"Wh...what?" muttered Merlin, and Arthur looked over at him then, properly for the first time since he had come back. And Arthur swore he would never cry in front of someone, no man was wroth your tears, that's what he told his Knight, at least not when someone could see you. But his bottom lip trembled and Merlin leaned forward, as if he were about to hug him and then stopped. Instead, he ran a gentle hand through Arthur's hair. "He can't do that to you, Arthur. You're his son...his real heir."

"I don't think he cares," whispered Arthur, because he couldn't make sounds anymore, not really. He didn't want to at the very least, and looked down then, away from Merlin, because Merlin only stare at him with sad eyes and a confused expression. Arthur couldn't take it, but Merlin still continue to run his hands through Arthur's hair, as if this would clam him, and it did. Arthur closed his eyes to hide the sadness in them, allowing Merlin's fingers to be the only thing he focused on for the second. They were gentle, not exactly on the top of his head, more off to the side, as if Merlin was really trying to get a bit of hair to tuck behind Arthur's left ear, but they lingered a little too long at the back of neck for this to be the case.

"Do you want something to eat?" asked Merlin, after awhile. Arthur didn't know how long it had been, he had allowed himself to be lolled into some sort of calm, where he was not happy, but he didn't want to leave this spot either.

"No," he answered, because the idea of food sickened him, Merlin sighed then and pulled his hand away. Arthur felt like he had lost something, yet again this evening His eyes traveled to Merlin then, as he stood up and looked around the room.

"Alright, you are going to bed," said Merlin, matter of factly. "And then in the morning you will talk to your Father and explain why he can't keep being an idiot like this, or else someone is going to start saying something." Arthur didn't reply to this, nor did he stand up, Merlin took both of his hands then and yanked him from the chair. "In case you didn't know, that someone who will say something is me..."

"What are you going to say?" offered Arthur, as he allowed Merlin to drag him to the bed. Merlin pushed him onto it and Arthur sat on the edge of the bed, as Merlin pulled his tunic over his head. Arthur wasn't sure when he had become a toddler again, but he wasn't going to argue at the thought. Even in the depression he was currently feeling, there was something else, a yearning in him, that was pulling at him, as Merlin did these things. The way he had guided him to the bed, the way he took his clothes off of him, the way now...that he stood in between Arthur's knees. Arthur knew Merlin was not doing these things for any other reason than that he was worried for Arthur, he felt sorry for Arthur, as he had lost everything he had ever thought he would be in the matter of one conversation. But now, as Merlin placed his fingertips on Arthur's shoulders, caressing the skin there, and looked at him with eyes that were so big and blue and always so caring, Arthur couldn't help it, he wanted him.

"I'm going to tell him..." said Merlin, slowly, lips turning into a small smile and Arthur watched them. He watched them move, with such an overwhelming need that he thought he might not be able to stand it. If Merlin noticed, he didn't act like he did. "That if he doesn't stop hurting you, I'm going to hurt him."

"Threatening a King is treason, Merlin," said Arthur, and he was surprised he got these words out, they must have been buried in him, and ready to be spoken at any given time, like a true Knight. Because his brain was somewhere else entirely, stuck in a fantasy of pulling Merlin into this bed with him.

"I think I could be really good at treason," offered Merlin, and then went to walk away and Arthur panicked. He didn't want these feelings to end, to go away like all the other moments that passed between them and then were tucked away, somewhere hidden, where they never spoke of them again. He reached out, his open hand collided with Merlin's stomach, and it halted his movement, he stopped and looked back at Arthur, eyebrows knitted in confusion.

"Don't..." said Arthur, and just a second ago he was speaking fine, when his brain had chosen these words out of a lineup of things that he said to Merlin almost daily, but this...he was failing at, because these words were something different, never explored before. "Don't go."

"Arthur..." said Merlin, and it sounded a bit like a warning. But Arthur pay them no mind, he grabbed Merlin's brown jacket and pulled him back, to where he was before. Merlin was still now, not touching him like before, so to make up for this Arthur placed both of his hands on either side of Merlin's waist. And Arthur looked up at him, Merlin looked back down, with a mixture of different things playing on his face, none of which Arthur understood. And now, Arthur didn't know what to do, what he had done this for, he was so sure of himself up until this point. Now what?

The what never came, because there was a knock on the door again, and just like every single time, the person did not wait to walk in. Unlike last time though, when it was a Guard asking Arthur to go speak to Uther, it was just Uther himself. Arthur didn't want to look at him. He only really wanted to look at Merlin, but now Merlin was recoiling himself, back, and looked at Uther, with not one ounce of kindness, even though Merlin normally looked at everyone with kindness.

Merlin took several steps back then, away from him, face turning an odd shade of pink and looked down at the floor for a long time, Arthur watch him for a moment or two, probably too long, and stood up then, realizing he was still shirtless, but couldn't really find it in himself to care. He stood up and glared at Uther.

"If this is about you revoking my title, you've wasted your time," he said, colder than he had ever spoken to Uther before, even after a fight. "I don't care to hear anymore abut it."

"This is not about your title," said Uther then, his eyes traveling to Merlin and then back to Arthur, in a very knowing way, and Arthur thought he could go to hell and take his dear wife with him. "I am here to talk about Catrina."

"I couldn't care less to hear about her either," shot Arthur, and Uther glare at him, suddenly.

"You will mind your tongue about my Queen!"

"I will mind nothing!" Arthur retorted, Uther glare daggers and then paused and shook his head.

"I did not come here to argue, Arthur," he said, seriously. "I need to confide in you, something very important."

"What is it?" said Arthur, and he honestly didn't care. He couldn't care less, why would he be interested in anything his Father had to say about Catrina? She was a wicked bitch and Arthur honestly hated her at this moment, more and more.

"She is..."Uther struggled for a moment, pulling faces only that of a scared man would pull and he sighed. "She is with child."

Arthur's eyes widened so fast and so hard that he thought he might fall over from the feeling of it. His mouth fell open and he didn't think he could form words, not ever again. "What...?"

"With whose child?!" said Merlin then, somewhere behind Arthur. Uther looked over at him, in alarm.

"Mine...of course."

"Aren't you too old?" he asked then, and the fact that he didn't care that he had just insulted the King, made Arthur's heart yearn for him even more. He smirked.

"I am not that old!" retorted Uther. "Besides, she is a fair deal younger than me..."

"Disgusting..." muttered Merlin and Uther's horrified face was priceless, Arthur continued to smirk.

"Merlin's right," he added, for good measure. "What the hell were you thinking? At your age?"

"Well...it is not as if I planned it!" Uther argued, looking stressed now and worried. "I never wanted another child...I did not know that it were possible."

"You were being foolish!" Arthur scolded. "You are blinded by lust..."

"I hardly need you parenting me, Arthur," said Uther. "I am only here to tell you before we announce it to the people, as a courtesy."

"Well...thank you for your thoughtfulness," said Arthur, plainly. "But I do always love to see my own Father acting like a mindless fool"

"I have had about all I can take of your lip," said Uther then, and his voice grew higher in sound.

"And I've had it with you acting like a love sick puppy," retorted Arthur. "If that will be all...you can go."

Uuther's eyes widened, first in shock and then with anger. It dulled though, after a moment of staring. "I came here to seek support, Morgana only laughed."

Arthur had to stop himself from laughing now too, at this thought. He glare at his Father, instead though. "You really thought after what you did to me tonight, that I would support you?"

"I was only doing what is best for you..."

"That is not true and you know it," said Arthur. "It was Catrina who suggested it and you followed." Uther looked up at this then, with wide eyes. "Do you deny that?"

"No," said Uther, calmly. "But she wants the best for you too, Arthur, she cares for you."

"She cares for no one but herself," retorted Arthur. "I doubt she even cares about this baby she now harbors for you..."

"I understand you are upset, Arthur, you have a right to be...but do not insult my wife again."

"I wish I could say I am sorry, Father, but I cannot," said Arthur, seriously. "I have given you too much, offered up too much of myself to you, for you to betray me like this. And I will not support anything you do from now on...why should I?"

Uther stare at him then, for a very long moment, before he took a swift look around the room, and then dashed out. Arthur watched him go in a mix of hurt and pride, proud of himself, for standing up to his Father. Arthur was only surprised Uther was not more angry at him for it, perhaps deep down...he knew that Arthur was right.

(A/N: Hello Darlings! Thank you all for the Birthday wishes, they were all very nice! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter, I don't remember writing it even though it wasn't even that long ago...it must have been one of those 3 AM deals again, either way...the soup bit had me losing it while proof reading.)