Arthur awoke with a groan as the headache took over most of his impressions. He still had his clothes on from last night, even his shoes. With another groan, he managed to crawl up to a seated position and started to rub his eyes with his thumb and forefinger.

''Oh, you look like hell,'' Merlin's voice echoed in his head and he looked up to see his wispy friend stand in front of the door.

''I feel like it. What happened yesterday?'' Arthur said and started to rub the back of his neck, his whole body felt sore. When no answer came from Merlin, he stopped the rubbing and looked over at him again. Merlin had a nervous and concerned look across his face and Arthur's eyes started to widen as his memory recounted last night for him.

''No, no, no, NO!'' he shouted in panic and rose from the bed.

''Please tell me that she did not see me do that,'' he said with fear in his eyes and Merlin finally got his hypothesis confirmed.

''Mhm. So that's the nothing you were referring to yesterday, huh?'' Merlin said and Arthur sighed.

''Merlin please, did she see me?'' Arthur begged and Merlin hesitated for a second before giving away a nod.

''I'm such an idiot – how could I be so stupid!'' Arthur yelled and punched one of the bedposts. Merlin observed his frustrated friend for a while.

''Why didn't you feel you could tell me about your feelings for her? '' he asked and Arthur now looked back at him. He could read Merlin's disappointed face and a sigh escaped between his lips. He could not do anything right, he felt.

''I'm sorry Merlin, I really am. I was just... it could never be,'' Arthur said before he sat down on the bed again. Merlin continued to observe him and even though he still was hurt that Arthur didn't tell him, it pained him to see Arthur like this.

''I'll prepare a bath for you,'' he said and on Arthur's face to read, he could tell he was grateful that there were no more questions right now.

Merlin prepared the warm water and Arthur managed to pull his clothes off himself. He sank into the bathtub and felt how his body became heavy. He tilted his head backwards, now staring at the roof as the battlefield in his head took place.

''Did she say anything to you?'' Arthur eventually spoke and Merlin now looked over at him, he had not said a word since he suggested the bath.

''Only that you deserved to celebrate,'' Merlin said and Arthur nodded slowly before closing his eyes.

''I'm a fool,'' he mumbled just loud enough for Merlin to pick it up.

''There is one thing I don't understand. You said that the families don't like each other, correct?'' Merlin asked and Arthur now tilted his head towards him.

''Correct,'' Arthur replied and Merlin observed him for a while, trying to understand how they could view things so differently.

''But I'm not as convinced. Like the day the family from the West arrived, you all seemed worried about Elena? I mean after all you kind of need each other, and I think that deep down you know that only the other families understand the burden of being a royalty,'' Merlin said and Arthur frowned at him.

''Merlin, everything is an act to uphold the facade. They could not care less about each other,'' he said.

''And I don't believe you,'' Merlin disagreed quickly and Arthur didn't know how to reply, surprised over his servant and where this was coming from.

''It does not matter what you think, Merlin. It still changes nothing,'' he said after a while. Merlin looked at him before deciding to continue on his point.

''And how does that really work, when a king doesn't have a son? Can she rule after him? For me, it would make more sense if she had to marry someone royal,'' Merlin tried again.

''The rules say that she has to marry someone of a high rank, like a duke or a lord or something of similar ranking. But the law-rule always applies, the four families are to be kept apart,'' Arthur said with an empty voice. By how easily the words were spoken, Merlin understood that he had heard them since he was a child.

''And what would happen if the law were to be broken?'' Merlin continued to challenge.

''It has never happened before, Merlin. We need four kingdoms to uphold the monarchy, we will be too weekend if we went down to three – even if it's a merge. We need to cover all fronts,'' Arthur said with the same tone as before, but a hint of irritation had started to grow.

''And if it happened, the persons concerned would most likely be disinherited - and hanged,'' he added.

To this, Merlin did not reply. He knew when to stop.

For an hour Arthur laid in the bathtub and didn't say a word. Merlin stayed by his side and eventually the water turned cold. Arthur put on some new clothes and was now walking down the hallway to get some air. He did this mostly against his will, but Merlin insisted that he could not hide in his chamber for the rest of the day.

They walked up to the roof and as they walked out, they met Lancelot.

''Lancelot? What are you doing here?'' Merlin asked.

''Merlin, hi, I'm just... catching some air,'' he said nervously and Merlin frowned. They were at the same spot as yesterday.

''What are you doing here?'' Lancelot continued and tried to shift the conversation away from him.

''Air,'' Merlin replied and the both of them looked at each other. Lancelot eventually nodded and turned to Arthur.

''How are you feeling, Arthur?'' he asked, continuing to avoid any further conversations regarding himself.

''Good, and you?'' Arthur lied.

''Better than I deserve, Gaius brew really helped me,'' Lancelot said and Arthur gave away a nod, not really sure what he was talking about.

''Well then, I think I have gotten enough... air. If you'll excuse me,'' Lancelot said and with that, he left them. Merlin looked after him and frowned, the mention of the word air was stuck in his head as he remembered Elena using that specific word yesterday.

After about twenty minutes, Arthur had decided to walk back to his chamber. He was tired and did not want to socialize with anyone right now. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep within seconds.

''Arthur!'' Merlin shouted as he ran into Arthur room and Arthur awoke with a jerk.

''What?! What is it, Merlin?!'' he shouted as he jumped out of bed. He tried to understand what time it was by looking out of the window.

''Re-'' Merlin began but Arthur interrupted him.

''Merlin it's dark! What's wrong with yo-!'' Arthur started to yell at him but Merlin didn't give him the chance to continue.

''Republicans have entered the castle!'' he yelled and Arthur widened his eyes. He grabbed his sword and was now running down the hallway towards the crown room where he knew he would find everyone.

''Is my father okay?'' Arthur asked as soon as he spotted Leon in front of the doors to the crown room.

''Yes, he's in there with the other kings,'' Leon reported and Arthur gave him a nod as he ran past him and entered the room. The four kings were standing around the table, looking at the image of the castle that laid at the center.

''What's the status?'' Arthur asked as he jogged up to them.

''The guards have caught three men, and we don't think there's more of them. They somehow managed to climbed through the window on the east side of the castle,'' his father replied and pointed towards where they had entered on the paper that laid in front of them.

''Sebastian and Lancelot are taking a round as we speak, and so is most of the guards,'' David now spoke and Arthur nodded.

''I'll join them immediat-,'' Arthur was saying but was interrupted.

''Sire!'' a man's voice was heard and all four kings now turned towards the entrance. The guard had the color of the West on his armor and Anthony took one step away from the table.

''It's your daughter,'' he struggled to say as the colors on Anthony's face disappeared. Arthur's heart sank with those words.